Undeniable
by Tandy
Summary: Love at first sight? Hardly. Alternate pairings.
1. Chapter One

**Undeniable**

PG-13 (Rating will rise)

Disclaimer: GW doesn't belong to me.

AN: I can't seem to finish my other fics, so I'm starting a brand new one. Smart, huh?

Warning: Unbeta'd, read at own risk!

Chapter One

Relena was bored.

But then again, what was new? She seemed to be living a state of perpetual boredom now a days. It certainly didn't help that she was the current holder of Mr. Moiré's attention, the dullest man alive. She stifled a yawn as Mr. Moiré continued talking about how he chose the particular tie he was wearing.

Relena nodded and politely complemented his choice. Why did she even decide to attend the charity ball? Oh, yeah, she was the Speaker of the ESUN. A public appearance at political functions was unfortunately sometimes needed. It was the only thing about her chosen career that she absolutely abhorred. She would rather be doing actual work than putting on fake smiles and making idle talk with people she didn't particularly like.

She was grateful that her importance as a political figure had lessened since the last war. Eleven years of peace, Relena thought, not without some pride. She remembered the hectic first post-war years... she shuddered to think about them. She was perfectly happy being speaker, she enjoyed it immensely; being involved in politics without the heavy burden of being the dove of peace or filling her fathers' shoes.

"Ms. Darlian? What do you think?"

Relena looked blank for a second before expertly hiding her lack of concentration with a bright smile. What the hell had the man being chattering about? Oh, yes, ties.

"I think it looks wonderful," Relena replied.

"Not too showy?"

Relena almost laughed out loud, the man was anything but showy. The tie was a soft beige color, just as unassuming as the owner. He really was a nice man but had the unfortunate flaw of putting everyone to sleep after long exposure to his presence.

"It's perfect, Mr. Moiré."

Relena excused herself before she dropped dead from boredom. She felt slightly guilty but quickly squashed the feeling as she headed outside for some fresh air. Outside, in the cool night air, with the lack of music and fake smiles, Relena felt her disposition brightening.

"What a shame you aren't enjoying the party, Ms. Darlian."

Ah, she had spoken too soon.

She fell her mood crashing to the depths of hell as Chang Wufei, former gundam pilot, current preventer officer and chauvinistic pig extraordinaire, moved into her line of sight.

She really didn't know him well enough, but in the few times they'd met she had the distinct impression she was not liked by him. Well, the feeling was returned in full. Really, the man was arrogant, stubborn, rude and sometimes downright mean... those were his good qualities.

"Mr. Chang, so nice to see you," she said cheerfully.

Detecting the falseness of her statement Wufei sneered contemptuously at her. Relena cleared her throat uncomfortably. There were no guidelines or rules of etiquette with Wufei, she was left floundering on her own without a single idea of how to deal with him. Where she saw courtesy he saw hypocrisy.

"It seems you're not enjoying the Ball either," she said to fill the jarring silence that surrounded them. Relena wondered if he ever enjoyed anything, if he did something just for the hell of it, if he laughed...

"I find these events tiresome, fake, and superficial."

No one ever blamed Wufei for being subtle; he certainly spoke his mind. Relena grudgingly admired that in him. She wished she had that luxury... and the guts to speak freely. She imagined telling Mr. Moiré that with every word he spoke the she ran the risk of slipping into a coma.

"I must say I agree with you," Relena told him. His comments about the party were pretty much on target of what she thought about such silly functions. Of course, she would never phrase it quite as crudely as he had.

Wufei lifted a brow, maybe in surprise of her words, Relena could not really tell. He was a closed book with a state of the art locking system.

"However," Relena continued, "I find it puzzling that someone that dislikes these functions as much as you seem to, would be attending one."

"My job comes with certain obligations," he responded dryly.

Oh, yes, Wufei, the up and coming Preventer Officer. Rumor had it, he would be the one to replace Lady Une. Unfortunately, that meant ingratiating himself with the ruling elite. Wufei was very definitely a very private man, with little patience with useless formalities. Relena felt like snickering at his expense.

She needed to go back in and start socializing again. She was surprised that she preferred staying outside having a semi-conversation with Wufei to going back to the gathering with a smile plastered on her face. Interesting. Maybe Wufei wasn't as bad as she once had thought.

"It has been," _nice talking to you._ "Not entirely unpleasant talking to you," Relena said truthfully, her eyes begging Wufei not to take offense. After all, if he demanded honesty...

Wufei gave her a slight bow and Relena gave him her first genuine smile of the evening.

Cookies for everyone that reviews!


	2. Chapter Two

**Undeniable**

A/N: I'm sorry for updating so late (How come I always start by apologizing?). Anyway, hope you guys like this fic. Sorry to say this fic won't be updated for a while as I'm still working on IFAP.

Lilia, Sparkling-Ruby Gem, Miss Bug, Faerex, Celesta Sunstar, Lixangel, Brightspark, Tsuchi, Empress of the Dragons, Nozomi Anshin, thank you all for your reviews. Keep them coming!

**Chapter Two**

Well, this is what she got for complaining about how dull life was. A mess is what she got, a horrible mess. There she was plastered all over the front page of various tabloids. That, however was not the worst, she was also plastered all over the newspapers, not the front page fortunately, but nonetheless there she was.

Relena was not unused to publicity or the gossip and rumors that came along with being a public figure, but the people's fascination with her had diminished significantly in the last few years; apparently she hadn't been the only one who had been bored with her life.

She sighed, took another sip of her coffee and observed the picture once more. Her eyes were shinning, her head tilted slightly to the side and smiling brightly... at Wufei. He was leaning forward, close to her, close enough that the picture could be interpreted as if he had been leaning down for a kiss.

Relena rubbed her temples trying to fight the headache that was fast approaching. As always the media took something trivial and turned it into a spectacle. The article was nothing but garbage, something about the Dove and the Warrior, Relena having a penchant for Gundam pilots and Wufei's aspirations at Preventers.

The article was nothing really, a slight inconvenience, but embarrassing as hell. It was also very tame, nothing like others in which she had been featured. She hadn't survived in the world of politics for a decade to be upset about such a insipid article. However, due to luck or destiny she had gotten a sure foothold in politics at a young age. Her journey had been relatively easy compared to others.

Wufei had worked his way up Preventers, now being a top officer and steadily climbing upwards. The article wouldn't ruin his career but it would surely set him back, especially if it got elaborated and spiced up. As a soldier, as a Preventer officer with hopes of running the organization Wufei would not look kindly upon if the people thought he could be influenced by a girlfriend who was notorious for preaching absolute peace.

He would be livid, Relena thought, probably blame the whole thing on her. What an ass. Still, she felt slightly guilty about the whole thing. More than likely the photographer had been trying to snatch a picture of her, the fact that she and Wufei seem to be in a compromising position had been icing on the cake. And then there was the way she was smiling at Wufei... so provocatively. If she didn't have the picture in front of her she would never believe she could look like _that_. Dreamy eye, flirtatious even and kind of sexy if she did say so herself.

She had always been blah, boring and plain; vanilla (or rather strawberry). She was attractive enough to earn a passing glance but not interesting enough to keep looking at. Damn if this picture wasn't the best taken of her. Maybe she should frame it, sans Wufei of course.

A question still remained: Why had she smiled at Wufei like that? Why? Why? Why? She had not even known she could smile like that; if she had she could have used that particular weapon before and on worthier subjects. She must have been really bored at the party to welcome Wufei's presence and smile like that in gratitude for the short and honest distraction.

Relena reminded herself that the situation was not her fault. The photographer had snapped the perfect picture, not overly risqué but filled with enough innuendo to raise a few eyebrows. The story would die out, eventually. Considering that she and Wufei rarely saw each other, and when they did, avoided each other like the plague, Relena hoped the people would loose interest quickly without any gossip to feed them. However, Relena did not underestimate the resourcefulness of the mass media. She and Wufei would just have to endure following stories the media would undoubtedly invent to keep their papers selling.

The ringing of the phone startled Relena out of her thoughts. She drank the rest of her coffee, took another bite of her muffin and let the machine take it. It was probably another reporter. She was debating whether to unplug the phone for a while when a familiar voice snapped at her to pick up the phone.

"I know you're there, Relena. Pick up the phone. Now." Milliardo's smooth and annoyed voice flowed through the phone like music.

Relena rolled her eyes at her brother's bossy tone, taking her time to reach the phone. He always called when he deemed her in trouble. He never called for the sake of calling. When he called, Relena knew, he was about to swoop in her life and save her from whatever he thought she should be saved from. Then he would leave... until next time.

Sighing she picked up the phone and watched her brother's face pop into the video screen. "Hi, how are you?"

"Is it true?"

"What?" Relena played coy, knowing full well the reason he had called.

"Don't play games."

"I see you've read the papers."

"I watched it in the news," he told her dryly.

_Great. _

"Judging by your face I say the article isn't true. I doubt the article will have any effects in your career but it's better to be safe than sorry. This is what you're going to do, first call a press conference..."

"Yes."

"Glad you agree with me. Next-"

"It's true."

For the first time in her life Relena saw her brother lose all composure, his eyes went wide and he let his jaw hit the floor. Too bad she was in shock of what she had just said to enjoy the moment properly.

TBC...

Coffee and Muffins to all that review! Yawns

Until Next time!


	3. Chapter Three

_A/N: Thanks to: Celesta Sunstar, Faerex, Silvertwightlight, Nozomi Anshin, Pixie smith again, Asia-chan, Starlight Gundam, Night-Mare-chan, darklight13, Madame adieu, MissBug, Empressofthedragons, pureevil230. Thank you so much, your reviews mean the world to me. _

_Warning: Un-beta'd, read at your own risk. _

**Chapter Three**

Relena was rather mistaken when she assumed that Wufei would be furious when he encountered the articles and the short snippets from the news. He could have cared less; he was mainly annoyed at the whispers and giggles the article produced in some of his less intelligent co-workers. Yes, the picture was rather incriminating but it had been terribly misconstrued. And that was all there was to it, Wufei was not someone to dawdle over trivialities.

This is why he was so utterly surprised to see Relena Darlian sitting primly in his office, apparently awaiting him. Her presence would certainly start the rumor mill at his workplace again. Did she not see how inopportune her visit was?

She was intent on her thoughts, not realizing he was on the doorway, watching her. She looked awful. She was dressed and groomed impeccably as always, but her complexion looked waxy and tired. Her eyes were focused on his empty chair, a determined look in her somber eyes.

Wufei cleared his throat, had the satisfaction on seeing her jump.

He took his chair, raising a curious eyebrow at her lack of greeting. Something was obviously bothering her, if she forgot her precious manners. She was nervous, he noticed, as she wrung her hands together, a crooked smile on her face as she tried to face his eyes.

"Mr. Chang, how are you?" Not a trace of her nervousness showed in her voice. She spoke in that calm, collected and prim voice that was worst than nails on a chalkboard to him.

"I'm fine. Now that we have gotten the pleasantries out of the way get to the point, I have no time to waste."

His attitude was not unexpected, but her temper nonetheless ignited. This was the most difficult man she had ever met, and she had met some pretty damn difficult men. She took a deep breath, raised her chin challengingly. "I need a favor."

She cringed at her tone, could she have sounded more overbearing? Judging from his expression, she didn't think so.

"From you," she clarified, infusing her voice with the sugar that had so often come to her aid in her diplomatic career.

"No."

"You have not heard what I have to say," Relena smiled at him, showcasing perfect white teeth.

"I don't need to."

"Mr. Chang-"

"Ms. Darlian, I do not care to be involved with you in any way. Whatever you need, get it from someone else."

That had hurt, she couldn't pretend otherwise. But she had come to see him for a reason and she was not leaving until she had her say. She had thousands of people hanging from her every word; she _would_ make this man listen to her. "It is a pity then, Mr. Chang, that you are involved with me. You have no doubt seen the various articles that have been printed about our speculated relationship."

"I have. They do not concern me," He was getting impatient. The girl was a nuisance, always had been, and always would be.

"Have you not thought of how it can affect your position?"

"My job, unlike yours, it not solely based on my reputation."

That had been completely uncalled for. How dare he? If he knew the amount of work associated with her career, if he had even the vaguest idea… But most people didn't know, because she did sell her image, her reputation, which was as pristine as an angel's wings. Her career and her reputation had always been frustratingly intertwined.

He smirked, knowing he had angered her. It pleased him to see the flash of temper in her normally calm expression, even more so because it had been he who had placed it there. Had she thought that he would behave like an eager puppy leaping at her feet to do her bidding?  
Relena was obviously in dire need of a rude awakening.

"Well, then you should have no objections in assisting me."

"I've already made myself clear."

"Well, I haven't."

There was that temper again, who would have thought that the precious dove of peace had the disposition of a cranky bird of prey. "Fine," he told her, only to get the ridiculous meeting over and done with. The princess better find her prince charming somewhere else.

"The rumors that have been circulating may not affect your career; however mine could suffer a bit of damage. I find myself pressured to ask for your help. I… well… I need to keep feeding these rumors. Only for a few months, until interests quell down, we would of course part on friendly terms, there's no need for more drama."

"You want us to pretend to be involved?"

"Yes." Relena said a hopeful smile on her face.

He threw his head back and laughed. His laughter was full and rich, Relena would have found it enticing if it had not been directed at her. She sat stiffly in her chair, waiting for his laughter to subside. Her face was burning from embarrassment and anger; she fantasized about grabbing that sword he had mounted on the wall and skewering him with it.

"Do I really need to reiterate my answer? Again?" He had finally gotten his laughter under control, but the corners of his lips were still twitching.

"It would be beneficial to both of us if-"

"You have wasted enough of my time," he said, turning his focus on opening his laptop.

"Mr. Chang... Wufei, I'm asking you for your help. Please, I'm going to look like an idiot, my brother is coming tomorrow; he's going to want to have a press conference. Please, help me." Her voice was smooth, her eyes pleading, and her smile in between uncertain and hopeful.

"You put up a good show. The answer is still no," he responded, his attention now on the screen of his computer.

Relena stared at him, still not believing that he had denied her. She had expected him to put up a fight, but she had never thought he'd be so…

She stood up from her seat with as much dignity as she could muster, which was not much. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Chang," she said, slamming the door on her way out.

* * *

Wufei was having a horrible day, not only did he have an endless amount of paperwork to look over but another article had been published. One of his colleges, he had yet to find out who, had posted it on his door, a huge red heart framing the article. With her visit to Preventer's headquarters, Relena had not only produced more rumors, but had sent the headquarters into an uproar, as everyone had seen her walk into his office.

The girl had absolutely no sense at all.

He leaned back into his chair, trying to fight of the migraine that was creeping up on him. How had Heero managed to deal with her? The girl could drive anyone to edge of madness with her high and mighty attitude. She was powerful and attractive, stubborn too by the looks of it; she had probably gotten away with too much because of those facts. Not with him, he thought with a proud smile.

He heard high heels tapping quickly in the hallway before his door burst open; a frantic and wild-eye Relena stepped through, leaving the door ajar. Wufei rose from his chair, a scowl on his face. "What are you doing here?" he barked at her.

"I need your help, my brother is..."

"Get out."

Relena went to the doorway and took a peek outside. "Shit!"

"Ms. Darlian…" he started as he approached her, ready to remove her from his office bodily, if necessary.

He never finished his sentence, Relena grabbed him by the lapels of his uniform and with a tremendous display of strength, swung him around so his back faced the door. Then, rising on her toes and pushing his head down with both hands she mashed her mouth onto his.

"I apologize, I shall come back… at a more convenient time," Wufei heard a disapproving voice say from the door. Confused and otherwise occupied with Relena's body, which was wrapped tightly against his own, he ignored the voice and the slamming of the door.

Regaining his wits, he shoved her back, a little too harshly. Her back collided painfully against the edge of his desk. Relena winced, more from Wufei's murderous expression than from the pain shooting up her spine.

The only words that her terrified brain was able to formulate were, "You taste like chamomile tea."

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* * *

Thank you for reading! Tell me what you guys thought about this chapter.

Chamomile tea for everyone!

Oh, Relena's motivations will be revealed next chapter! Don't hate her too much please.


	4. Chapter Four

**Thank you everyone for reviewing, I appreciated it so much. **

**Warning: Unbeta'd**

**Chapter Four**

He was staring at her, just staring at her and glowering. It was quite unnerving, really, to have those dark orbs focusing solely on her. She wanted to say something to fill the silence but nothing proper came to mind, and she was certain he would pop a blood vessel if she came up with something inane like her previous comment. Relena didn't think there was any particular etiquette to follow in this type of situation, so she would just have to wing it. Wufei kept glaring down at her, Relena fidgeted under his scrutiny and wondered how long he could keep that up as she shifted her gaze to his shiny black boots.

She felt awfully self-conscious, standing awkwardly before him, her taste buds still zinging in the richness of his taste. Amazing how such a callous person could be so yummy; she fought the urge to lick her lips. She had only meant to press their lips together; it had been _he_ who had gasped, consequently opening his mouth, making the ordeal a hell of a lot more intimate and embarrassing. Yes, but it had been _her_ tongue that had ventured into places it had no business venturing into.

Call it curiosity, call it temporary insanity, or maybe it was the fact that she hadn't gotten any action in ages… Whatever, what was done was done.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"I'm waiting for your little speech where you will proceed to justify your behavior with some sort of frivolous explanation."

She counted to ten to try to control her temper. No one else managed to raise her hackles as quickly as this man did. Partly, she admitted ruefully, was because he was able to speak uncomfortable truths to her and he did so without any qualms or reservations. She often felt as if he enjoyed tormenting her, angering her on purpose just to see her lose her cool. She took a deep breath and counted to ten again, unwilling to fold like she had done the day before. She was just as stubborn as he, maybe even more so.

"I shall spare you the frivolous explanation and only offer my gratitude for your assistance." Relena wanted to smile at his sourly expression. "Have a good evening, Mr. Chang."

He stepped in front of her, blocking her way out; she smiled despite herself.

Wufei wanted to wring that scrawny neck of hers and erase that cocky grin she had plastered on her face. He was not a toy to be discarded when she no longer found a use for him. He crossed his arms and leaned against the door, lifting an eyebrow and looking down his nose at her, as if she was nothing but dirt beneath his feet.

She wished he wasn't so intense, that she didn't feel like he was dissecting her with his mere gaze. It was a horrible feeling, being cut open and laid out for him to examine. Relena was used to having hundreds of eyes on her, all ranging from admiring to angry, but only Wufei's made her feel like an unruly child. Defiantly she raised her eyes, locked them with his. She stood her ground while he looked imperiously down at her.

He blinked.

She shifted.

He smirked.

"Why in such a hurry to leave, Ms. Darlian? Please have a seat, I'll order some tea. Chamomile wasn't it?"

"I don't mean to impose on you."

"Nonsense, Ms. Darlian, my schedule is always free for someone such as yourself." He pulled a chair out of her, guided her down, a mocking smile accompanying his every move. He was making fun of her, her manners and her speech.

"If you insist, but hold the tea. I absolutely abhor chamomile," she told him as she smoothed down her skirt. He took his own seat, across from her, not behind his desk as she had thought he would. She felt like fidgeting again. She crossed her legs, saw him glance down at them for a moment. Hmm, that had been… interesting.

"Really? My apologies, but you seemed to be enjoying yourself quite thoroughly with your previous taste of chamomile."

"I'm a very good actress."

"That goes without saying, Ms. Darlian."

"You're not so bad yourself. Tell me, are you planning to small talk me to death?"

"Of course not, it would take too much of my time to convince the authorities that you simply dropped dead from boredom. I'll bide my time and wait for you to collapse in your next soiree."

"Very shrewd of you."

"Tell me, Ms. Darlian, to what do I owe the honor of your… attentions?"

"A man such of you surely has better things to do than worry about a frivolous girl."

"Not when I find myself a pawn in a silly game of the girl's making."

"A pawn?" She laughed. "I would have never guessed you were a drama queen."

Wufei glared at her. He was running out of patience, very, very fast and his migraine was a throbbing ache at the base of his skull. Despite her frantic entrance and her nervous fidgeting she seemed much more in control than the day before. "Who was at the door?" he asked her, tiring of their silly game.

"My brother."

Just what Wufei needed; an overprotective older brother with access to weapons of mass destruction. He and Zechs had always had a good working relationship, occasionally when they happened to coincide they would go out for drinks after work. He respected and even admitted to liking Zechs. Since Relena had shown up at his office, his respect increased tenfold as the man was surely a saint for putting up with the sister he had been cursed with. This little fiasco would certainly strain their relationship.

"You are lying to your brother." It was a statement, accusatory and filled with contempt.

"My relationship with Milliardo doesn't concern you," she snapped at him, and regretted it instantly. She needed to keep her composure if she was going to succeed.

"What are you trying to accomplish from this charade?"

"Nothing." Relena sighed. "I don't know." She told him truthfully.

"Yet you've dragged me into this without regard of how this might affect my life. You never even stopped to think that I might be romantically involved with someone. Your self-centeredness is astounding."

"Think of me what you like. The fact is that the rumors will keep spreading, it is better if we have some control over them."

"Don't pretend this is about our careers."

"Fine."

Again, his eyes trapped her. He studied her unashamed, taking in her resolute expression, the wriggling hands that displayed her nervousness, the long legs that kept crossing and uncrossing, her eyes that tended to shy away from his gaze. "Zechs and I get along rather well. I wonder if you'll stop this lunacy if I were to speak to him."

She looked panicked and angry. "He saw us kissing. I doubt he'll believe you." Relena prayed Wufei would buy that. He had no way of knowing that her relationship with her brother was the picture of dysfunction. "If you help me I'll be indebted to you." She was using her most persuasive and businesslike voice.

"Indebted?" He gave a small chuckle. "How are you willing to pay for my services?" He was smirking at her, clearly amused by her.

"My political standing carries considerable weight." Relena told him in the best prim schoolmarm tone.

His amusement vanished instantly from his face. He sneered at her. "You can either use it for my benefit or detriment, was that what you were implying?"

"Your words not mine."

Rumors wouldn't hurt him, he knew that, but if Ms. Prim and Proper decided to stand against him politically then he would be in a bit of trouble. Relena, although nearing her thirties, was still considered to be a pristine Golden Girl of sorts due to her political past. She had more influence than was wise for a mere Speaker of the ESUN. She was also a spoiled and selfish brat that had a track record of being impetuous and unpredictable.

No, he was not being melodramatic; he was a puppet with Relena holding his strings.

Relena obviously would not take no for an answer, knew exactly what she was doing when she came into his office with those silly little outfits, making sure that everyone saw her so her visit would end up in the tabloids and even the papers. Wufei could call a press conference of his own and risk even more rumors, and perhaps a stupid game of 'she said' 'he said'. Zechs was crazy about Relena; there was no fucking way that he would take his word over his precious little sister's. The bitch had him by the balls and she knew it.

His mistake was ignoring the first rumors, thinking it inconsequential, when he could have easily put a stop to it then. It would be his penance. He leaned back into his chair and rubbed his temples wearily.

* * *

Relena felt awful. And not only because her back hurt so damn much she felt like she was getting cut in half. Things hadn't gone as she had had hoped. Words had spilled out of her mouth and Wufei had misinterpreted them. She would never use her clout to cause him harm. He must think the worst of her if he believed she would do something like that. Her plan had been to wear him down until he accepted to help her, by pestering him and showing him the benefits of having her as a 'girlfriend'. Shit, everything had spiraled out of control. Wufei no doubt felt cornered and manipulated, she knew the feeling and could only sympathize. 

But it had worked.

And could anyone blame her for believing Wufei was single? Sure, he was nice eye candy, but unfortunately he had a bitter flavor. The person that Wufei was involved with deserved to be canonized for putting up with his crap. She sometimes saw a woman accompanying him, very pretty with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Relena wondered if that was his girlfriend. Maybe things would okay with Wufei and his girlfriend, Relena really couldn't afford to piss him off more than she already had.

"You were longer than I expected." Her brother said, leaning casually against her car. He was breathtakingly beautiful. Relena cursed the fates again for making her brother prettier than she.

Zechs probably thought she was insane. They had arrived together at headquarters to talk to Wufei. However, when her brother stopped to greet some colleagues Relena made her mad dash to Wufei's office. Milliardo had almost caught up with her. Almost, Relena thought with a smug smile. In her stupid impractical pumps she still had managed to outrun her brother- no matter than she had gotten quite a head start.

"We got caught up."

Millardo winced, the image of his baby sister in a serious lip lock with Chang coming instantly to his mind. When Relena had confirmed the rumors were true he had found it hard to believe. Having come face to face with reality abolished any remaining doubts. At least it wasn't Yuy, he thought derisively.

"I'm sorry you didn't get a chance to speak with him," Relena continued. "You seemed to be enjoying yourself with your friends I thought I would just sneak up to his office and-"

"Yes, well," he said cutting her off before she said anything that made him want to go blind. "I'm sure I'll be able to speak with him later on."

"Great." Relena smiled at him. "Shall we go to dinner? How about some Chinese?" She joked.

"No. Drop me off at the hotel."

Relena was both relieved and disappointed.

They both settled into her tiny sports car, and conversation between them seemed to wither as it always did. They just didn't speak, both with their polite aristocratic nose in the air, pretending nothing was wrong, when the very air around them crackled with tension.

This whole fucking ordeal had been because of him. And her pride, she admitted reluctantly. Relena knew she had made a mistake as soon as she had told Milliardo that she and Wufei were together. What she had told Wufei had been the truth, she had no idea what she wanted to accomplish or prove.

Initially, when her brother had called and that fateful and stupid 'Yes' had slipped out, she had planned to turn into a joke, but Milliardo's sputtering and unbelieving reaction had put her back up. And what was his deal anyway, only visiting her when she was in trouble? She was a damn obligation, a burden he had to carry. And she hated him for it.

Really, really hated him for it.

He obviously thought very little of her. Poor pathetic Relena that needs rescuing all the time. Silly little girl, naïve little girl, for goodness sake the man still got her dolls for her birthday! Which he never bothered to show up for, although she invited him every year to spend it with her, along with Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Not once in all the years that she had known him, since he had come back from Mars had he accepted her invitations. It hurt more than it should have, because really, she barely even knew the man, her brother.

But damn it, she was an independent woman. She had been pretty much on her own since her teens, had helped bring about peace. Now, she had a career that she loved, a house that was all hers; she was doing perfectly fine. Relena wished he would see that. That she could say, 'hey, big brother, look at me! Look at how well I turned out."

It made her mad, that he couldn't see, because she had done it all for him. Mostly, for him she corrected. She wanted to show him how far she had come from that spoiled naïve girl he had once encountered. Relena wanted him to be proud of her. Yes, it was selfish and stupid and girlish but she couldn't help feeling that way. She had even thought of changing her name again back to Peacecraft, maybe that way…

"Thank you, Relena." Millardo said as they arrived at the hotel. "See you soon." He gave her a cool impersonal kiss on the cheek and stepped out of the car.

If her brother ever found out about Wufei she would die of mortification. What would he think of her then? He had looked so confident so sure of himself, doubting her even after she told him the rumors were true. It was so painful to realize that her brother thought her to be too pathetic and weak to attract a man like Wufei. Zechs, upon seeing her still asked her if she had seen Heero lately, if she was okay…

He made her feel so little with his patronizing voice and aloof manners. But Milliardo was her brother, her only family and he had given up so much for her. She was being stupid and selfish, and she had gotten Wufei involved and she was too chicken to own up to her mistakes, too stubborn to abandon her pride and too afraid of what her brother would think of her.

* * *

Okay, what do you guys think? 

Chinese food for everyone :D


	5. Chapter Five

_Thanks to: AdaW, Celesta SunStar, Ash, Starian Princess, Empress of the Dragons, Gundam Wing Lu, Tsuchi, and anyone else I missed. Hope you guys are still with me. _

_I know the plot is somewhat predictable, but I hope you guys enjoy anyway. _

**Warning: Un-beta'd**

"Do you know how long he is staying this time?"

Relena didn't miss the underlying bitterness behind the question. She turned away from Noin's seemingly nonchalant face, not wanting to see the obvious heartbreak reflected in her eyes. Noin had returned from Mars broken and disillusioned, never attaining the desired relationship she had wished for with Milliardo. "I don't know. Probably until he decides everything is perfectly okay with me."

"Then he will be staying a very long long time." Noin responded wryly.

Relena turned to glare at Noin. "Not funny, Noin."

"That's because you have a stick stuck up your butt, just like that brother of yours." With that lousy attempt at humor Noin declared herself back to normal. Crisis averted.

Relena smiled, more in relief than anything else. Her relationship with Milliardo was complicated enough without throwing Noin into the mix. Milliardo had always been a touchy subject between them, even through the war, where she'd been both terrified and fascinated about having a brother. Noin had always spoken highly of Milliardo; never a foul word crossed her lips regarding him, even after her solitary return from mars.

Relena had always admired Noin, her strength, her confidence, her endless amount of compassion and loyalty. Ironic that Noin turned out be like a sister to her, and her brother flitted out of her life at every possible opportunity. It had always been Noin who had been there, always, even when she'd been in Mars she had been sure to keep in touch. It had always made her feel a little guilty, even disloyal, when the yearning to have her brother with her became a dull ache in her chest. It was especially difficult to sort through her muddled feelings when he was near and in his 'I must save Relena' mode.

"I'm starving," Noin declared, terminating Relena's melancholic thoughts. She slid of her chair and went to poke her head into Relena's fridge. "Shameful, nothing but microwave dinners and junk food."

"You know I hate cooking."

"No, you don't. You're just terrible at it."

Relena gave and indignant huff as Noin ordered take out over the phone.

They ended up having pizza with half a bottle of wine. Both were pleasantly relaxed, one sprawled on the floor the other on the large couch. Their plan for the night had been to go out for some drinks with a couple of friends, however, Milliardo's arrival had soured Noin's mood. Instead they had spent the night watching movies. As it had been Noin who had backed out of their previous plans to go out, it was decided that Relena would pick the movies. Chick flicks, Noin had declared, wincing as she looked through the titles of the movies.

"I don't get you," Noin started. "I mean, you of all people know that utter crap that is. You don't end up with the person you want, or meet some wonderful man that will sweep you off your feet. That's just happens in fairy tales."

Relena shrugged intent on the developing scene on screen which consisted of a couple looking adoringly into each others eyes. "I know, maybe that is why I like these movies so much. It's nice to dream sometimes, to wonder how nice it would be if things worked out as perfectly as they do on these 'chick flicks,' as you call them."

Noin found the movies boring, cliché and unrealistic, but she couldn't very well tell Relena that. "Are you hoping things will turn out like that with Wufei?" Although Noin knew about the arrangement between Relena and Wufei, she was sorely lacking in details. Relena had been usually quiet about the whole ordeal.

Relena snorted. Now the handful of popcorn went flying toward Noin's inquiring face.

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" She dusted herself off fastidiously.

"He's impossible to deal with. How did you put up with him?"

Noin shrugged. "We got along fine when we worked together."

Relena studied Noin, judging her sincerity. Noin could probably get along with just about everyone, even with uptight, bad-mannered soldiers. Relena knew that although she presented herself to be coolly reserved and calm, the truth was far from it. Wufei was able to make her forget her carefully constructed public image and bring to the surface her less flattering nature. No, Relena would never have Noin's serene calm or self-control… she and Wufei would probably battle it out until the very end.

"May I offer some advice in dealing with Wufei?"

"Please, I'm desperate."

"Don't act like a spoiled brat."

* * *

Relena stared at her lunch partner, gave a long-suffering sigh and wondered if her next words would qualify under acting like a spoiled brat. She decided to say them anyway, as Wufei was bound to find offense even in the most innocent of her comments. "This isn't working. Nobody will believe we're on a date."

Wufei looked at her dispassionately and continued to enjoy his meal. If nothing else, there food was scrumptious even if the company was sorely lacking in…everything. The restaurant of course had been Relena's choice, a small and cozy little bistro that Wufei would never have guessed she frequented.

"Really, this isn't going to fool anyone."

"What would you have me do? Hold your hand while I stare lovingly into your eyes, feed you chocolate covered strawberries?"

Relena smiled widely for the sake of appearances. "Fortunately for both of us that won't be necessary. However, please do me the favor of not scowling every time you look at me."

"It's a reflex."

Relena grinded her teeth. He was impossible; throughout the whole meal, he had done nothing but glare at her, deliver acidic and sarcastic barbs, and eat. All her politeness and friendliness had been for nothing. Wufei was unmovable; he had no intention of making things easier for her… for either of them. Again she wished she had bumped into someone else that night, someone easier to deal with, someone with less of an attitude problem.

"Have I done something to offend you?" Relena said her voice terse and tightly controlled.

"Other than force me into this ridiculous situation?"

Okay, she had walked right into that one. "Your dislike for me was apparent even before this unfortunate turn of events."

Wufei wanted to laugh at her choice of her words, her tone of voice, so perfectly cool and calculated, fit for a strict nun. Relena seemed devoid of any passion, that is until one looked pass the sad doe eyes and noticed the anger brimming inside them. She was obviously offended at the thought that someone might not find her to be the epitome of grace and goodness. "Yes, you're right, I've never liked you. But I'm sure the feeling is mutual."

"Yes, it is mutual, because you've always treated me like I'm some sort of leper, not fit to be in your presence."

"Should I have gone down on my knees to grovel and worship at your feet like the rest of the world?"

"A simple 'Hello," would have done the trick."

"You disliked me on sight."

"Yes, and I imagine you were ready to welcome me with open arms when we first met."

Wufei scoffed, remembering the first time he met her. It had been summer, the celebration of Quatra's 19th birthday. He had been sipping tea in the parlor, arguing with sally about something or other when she had come into the room, wearing a bright yellow sundress; hanging off Heero in the most unbecoming of ways. The two pilots had nodded silently to each other, while Relena had stared avidly at Wufei. He had been quite put off by the obvious scrutinizing glance; Wufei had scowled at her and she in turn had shot him one last dismissing look before going back to tittering in Heero's ear. She had been nothing but sunshine and smiles for everyone that weekend, except for him. For him she reserved long hard stares and tight-lipped small talk.

"You cut an imposing figure Wufei. I was…" She searched for the right word. "Intimidated by you, always have been and you never make it easier for me"

"You didn't seem intimidated at all when you barged into my office demanding my help." Wufei shook his head. "The way I figure it, you took one look at me, the lowly preventer soldier, and deemed me unworthy of your time and effort."

"That's not true. How can you make those assumptions? You don't even know me."

"I know enough."

"You think you do."

"So far my conclusions have only been confirmed."

Relena's temper flared but she let the subject drop, too aware of the curious eyes zooming in on them to continue arguing in such a public place.

The rest of the meal was spent in complete silence. It was finally broken when Wufei adamantly proclaimed that _he_ would be the one to pay the check. Relena, to avoid another confrontation, conceded; silently vowing that Wufei would be reimbursed in full for his expenses after everything was finished between them. Which, judging by the way things were proceeding, would probably be sooner than she had anticipated.

Wufei wanted to smile at her internal struggle. Relena had obviously been torn between giving him a piece of her mind and not making a scene. Wufei was finding it more and more amusing to see her temper rise only to be subdued, barely, by her sense of propriety. He certainly was doing his outmost to make her loose her precious control. Relena would tire sooner or later of his attitude; most women did, even when he was not deliberately trying to inspire their anger. Wufei was set on making this as difficult as possible for the dear princess.

Relena pouted as they exited the restaurant, while Wufei glared at anyone who dared make eye contact. Outside the restaurant, standing in the busy sidewalk, in the warm and balmy afternoon sun, Relena turned toward Wufei, ready to make her goodbyes, when she was shoved violently into his arms by a band of giggling teenagers running pass them.

Instinctively Wufei steadied her, one arm holding her shoulder steady, the other wrapped tightly around her lower back. Relena, mortified, stepped back, her face burning crimson. "Ah, um, thanks… I'll see you later." She walked quickly way to where she had parked her car.

Wufei stared after her, curiously he watched as she rubbed gingerly at her lower back. Had she been hurt? Against his better judgment, he followed her, reaching her in a few easy strides, telling himself it was probably nothing, but he better make certain in any case that those silly children hadn't injured her in anyway. She was about to open the car door of her little spiffy convertible when he approached. "Are you hurt?"

"What? No."

"You are certain?"

"Yes."

"Why are you rubbing your back?"

Her hand instantly stilled. "I was just startled by those boys…hey!!"

Wufei unceremoniously turned her around, and felt Relena flinch when he placed his hand on the small of her back. Amid her protests, he lifted her blouse to evaluate the extent of her injury. There was a giant bruise marring her skin, blue and black, only just barely starting to fade judging from the coloring around the edges. He released, knowing full well that it had been who had caused the bruise, he who had hurt her once again today as he crashed into his arms.

He remembered the thump of the impact as her body hit his oak desk, now amplified tenfold in his mind, the grimace of pain in her face as she stood before him. Shame flooded through him at his actions of only a few days prior, at the ugly bruise he'd place on her tender flesh.

"Wufei, it's nothing. It looks worst than it actually is. Really, in only stings a little." Relena noticed the change in Wufei, the tensing of his body as he discovered the bruise and the reason for it. It really was nothing, but one of the teenagers had elbowed her as he ran pass, making the still fresh bruise come alive. She had never had a high pain threshold…

"I apologize, Ms. Darlian, my intention had never been to hurt you…"

"I know." She smiled slightly at him, at his bobbing Adam's apple, at the intensity of his gaze, at the seriousness of his voice at the guilt and shame of his face.

Wufei stared at her, those eyes again…

Relena felt her knees trembling, her breath catching, exactly like the first time. She had seen him across the room, talking animatedly to a pretty blonde woman. Had it not been for Heero, she would have stopped in her tracks. Wufei had turned, and she had stared shamelessly at him, at his figure, looking lean and strong in his preventer uniform and so terribly imposing, so unlike anyone she had ever met. He had scowled at her, and she being eighteen and still fresh and young, had returned her attention back to Heero, to the familiar, where it was safe.

TBC…


	6. Chapter Six

Thank you everyone for reviewing. Huggles for everyone!!!

I appreciate _all_ reviews. If I've made a mistake or my characters are OOC please don't by shy. :D On that tangent, let me address a reviewer's concern with the characterization of Relena. I do think Relena is spoiled, but that in no way implies that she is a bad person. What I'm trying to portray is that Relena is used to getting what she wants. She grew up as an only child, in a well-to-do family of politicians… I do see her as being a tad spoiled but also with a lot of hang-ups and insecurities. Both Relena and Wufei are highly stereotyped in fanfiction… yes, I'm working with those stereotypes but I'm also trying to infuse some depth into them. :D

**Warning: Unbeta'd, read at your own risk!**

Chapter Six

They were fighting.

Again.

Did they ever stop?

Noin shook her head and wondered how anyone could be so gullible as two believe those two were in the middle of a "budding love affair" as the tabloids liked to put it. If only the papers could see them now. The lovebirds were currently whispering furiously at each other at their table with murder in their eyes. Relena was so far gone that she had completely forgotten about her ever present smile and was now fuming at Wufei. For his part, Wufei looked livid, and she had even seen him down a couple of drinks…Wufei rarely drank. Fortunately the Preventer's Anniversary party was a private event, with only a few reporters flashing away at the entrance and only a select few inside.

Relena and Wufei both knew that the chances of them being featured on the front page of newspaper were slim during this particular private event, which was the reason why they both had let loose with their tempers. While they weren't making front page news, they were certainly giving their friends and acquaintances plenty to talk about.

"With you watching over Relena like a hawk, I don't need to worry about her wellbeing."

"You'll worry anyway." Noin muttered as Milliardo took a seat next to her without waiting to be invited.

She smiled at him, fighting the urge to wrap herself around him. It was always good to see him, no matter what. He looked good, she noticed, with the same amazing hair, melancholic eyes and pouty mouth. God, why did she still want him so damn much? She really hated herself for the woman she became when she was with him. Pathetic.

"How are you?"

Ugh, she hated that he acted as if they were still best buds from the academy. As if nothing had existed between then, as if he hadn't broken her. "I'm good. You?"

"I am well." But his somber eyes were already preoccupied with the arguing couple a few tables in from of them.

"I don't think I've ever seen Relena looking so…upset."

Noin laughed heartily. "That's nothing. You should see her truly angry…even you would run for your life."

Milliardo kept quiet, not quite believing that his demure sister could throw a tantrum in the proportions Noin had just described. However, Relena's current countenance begged to differ. Her face was drawn and a bit splotchy with anger, her mouth tight, glaring at Wufei looking as is she were ready to kill him. If Wufei has done anything to…

"Leave Wufei alone."

Millardo turned his gaze to Noin, startled at how she could still read him as easily as a book. Noin only shrugged, a knowing smile on her face as she sipped from her glass of wine. Millardo smiled back, for the first time in a long while feeling lighthearted. It was good to be around a good friend again, someone who knew him like no other.

* * *

Relena felt like murdering someone, specifically the tight-ass soldier seated in from of her. She seemed to have developed a talent for putting her foot in her mouth where Wufei was concerned. Relena had been making small talk, telling Wufei about a new proposal she was endorsing for the Preventer Oganization. She told him she understood the people's criticisms and fear of the how influential Preventers had become. If this new proposal went through, then a system of checks and balances would be instituted to appease the people and make Preventers run more smoothly.

He had of course taken offense.

She had never thought of herself as being tactless. Either that or he was extremely sensitive.

"Wufei-"

"May I have this dance?"

Relena's scowl quickly turned sweet at she stared at the handsome face above her. She nodded and let her brother take her to the dance floor. She had danced with her brother many times over the years. It was there where she felt more comfortable with him. Nothing would be said, they would only embrace and sway with the music.

Relena wrapped her arms around her brother's neck, making sure to slip them underneath his long hair. She relaxed in his brotherly embrace, his chin resting atop her head, his hands holding her tenderly around her waist. She smiled against his chest and forgot all about the debate that she had left pending with Wufei. Relena wished all her interactions with Millardo were this easy, this comfortable and simple. She knew he cared for her deeply, but it was only when she was dancing with him did she feel it so intensely.

"We're alright. Just a little dispute." Relena said, knowing that Milliardo had come due to the little spat he had just witnessed.

He brushed a hand trough her hair, letting the silky strands flow through his fingers. "You looked ready to kill him."

She muffled her laugh against his chest. "Believe me, sometimes I feel like it."

"Just say the word, Lenny, and it's done." He joked, smiling down at her.

Again she muffled a laugh. "Would you do that for me?"

"Anything." He told her in all seriousness.

She knew that. She wished she could tell him that she would do practically anything for him as well, but somehow, the words always stuck in her throat. Just like her arms had felt numb and immobile the first time they had met. He had held her so tightly, as if he was afraid she was only a dream that would vanish if he let her go.

Relena had remained stiff in his arms, she hadn't known him then, he'd been a stranger and frankly she had been afraid of him, afraid of what was happening. It was understandable as she had only been fourteen; but unfortunately that first meeting seemed to have shaped their entire relationship. Relena tightened her arms around Millardo as the song ended, letting him know that she wanted to hold on to him a little bit longer.

* * *

Relena made the rounds throughout the room, exchanging greetings and making small talk before she went back to the table she shared with Wufei. He hadn't moved at all, instead, she had noticed, the people went to him. She sat down, nodding at Quatra who was chatting amiably with Wufei.

"Relena, how nice to see you. I'm looking forward to your speech tonight."

Relena's stomach somersaulted as the thought of her speech. "It's nice to see you too, Quatra."

He smiled at her, one of his innocent smiles and squeezed her shoulder before taking his leave. Quatra's smile did nothing to calm her speeding heart. She had blocked out the thought of the speech completely to control her nerves but now it was almost time to deliver it. She looked at her watch; ten minutes to go. She breathed shallowly and took a careful sip of her wine, not wanting to get too buzzed before a speech.

"What is wrong with you?" Wufei was scowling at her.

"Nothing."

He studied her, the shaking hands, the color on her cheeks and the slight tremor of her voice. She had been perfectly fine before. What was she playing at? She was repeating something under her breath…

"You are nervous?"

"Of course." She snapped. And continued muttering under her breath, her eyes focused on nothing, concentrating carefully on each word she spoke.

She was more than nervous, Wufei thought, she looked terrified. As he had never been particularly interested in what Relena had to say, he'd only caught snatches of her speeches over the years. However, from what he had seen, she had always been composed and calm. Too engrossed and nervous, Relena missed the careful examination she was given by Wufei.

He watched her exhale as her name was introduced, as she stood shakily amid enthusiastic applause and made her way to the stage. When she reached the podium all traces of apprehension were gone, the room had gone absolutely quiet, all waiting eagerly for Relena to speak. He had to hand it to the chit; she knew how to work a room.

It was not surprising that people were so taken with her, Wufei thought derisively. She made quite a picture, looking small and fragile, yet her voice full of conviction, her eyes as she scanned the audience seemed kind and wise. Her words never faltered, her tiny smile remained steady. Elegance and warmth radiated from her. And everything was nicely wrapped in the enticing figure she presented in that pale blue dress that showcased her sleek physique. Yes, he could certainly understand the public's infatuation with her.

She was good, Wufei conceded. Very, very good, he added as he noticed the crowd hanging on her every word. Her speech was concise, articulate, well thought and with enough humor to stop it from becoming tedious. Wufei seriously doubted that it was she who wrote the speeches. She was only an image spouting somebody else's words. But she was very convincing at masking her superficiality. Her allure and charm were almost tangible, fooling everyone into thinking she was more than a spoiled society girl.

A wave of applause swept the room when she finished her speech. To Wufei's chagrin some people went so far as to stand up for her. It hadn't been that good, Wufei thought wryly. Hardly deserving a standing ovation. But he applauded nonetheless, an act like that deserved some recognition. Before she left the stage, Relena turned his eyes toward him. She was smiling at him, her eyes sparkling and exhilarated and for one millisecond Wufei allowed himself to believe that the Relena Darlian everyone seemed to be enamored with truly existed.

"How did I do?" Relena plopped down next to him with a wide smile on her face and a glass of wine on her hand.

"You were adequate."

Relena rolled her eyes, feeling carefree, happy and relieved after giving her speech to care what he thought of her. She loved the moments after she had just spoken to large audience. After the horrid stressful moments before giving a speech, afterwards it was like being in heaven. Not even Wufei could ruin her relaxed mood. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I'm not used to having people around right before I give a speech."

"Do you always get this nervous?" Wufei asked truly curious about her stage fright.

"Yeah. I know it's not fitting for the speaker to be so terrified about facing an audience. But I can't help it."

"By the time you started speaking no one could tell that you were a nervous wreck just moments before." For his comment he was rewarded with a beaming smile from Relena. "That was not meant as a compliment." He clarified.

Relena only laughed. She knew it was the liquor and euphoria but she couldn't help smiling at Wufei's sullen expression. What did one have to do to get the man to smile?

"Let's dance."

"Excuse me?"

"You're dancing with me. Come on." Relena pulled him to his feet and dragged him to the dance floor.

TBC

Drop a review and tell me what you think!


	7. Chapter Seven

_Thank you all of you who have reviewed, it really makes my day. Thank you so much:D _

_Warning: Unbeta'd, read at your own risk!_

Chapter Seven

Wufei's hands were large and brusque, he seemed unusually aware of them as they held Relena by her trim waist. She felt fragile and delicate, as if he could break her without even trying. He would be careful not to harm her once again. He splayed his fingers on her lower back, testing if the injury he had caused still pained her. A wave of shame came over him when he felt her stiffen and shiver against him. Wufei closed his eyes reliving his disgraceful behavior, the image of Relena's wince of pain and the ugly bruise in her pale skin haunted him. He had been caught off guard, stunned by the feel and taste of her, so shocked by her audacity and his own stupefied reaction that he had pushed her away with more strength than was necessary. Though her personality was indomitable, physically she was still only pampered woman unused to any rough handling. She was pain in the ass in any way he chose to look at it.

Now, with her mouth shut and her pink lips smiling at him, she didn't seem that troublesome. The wine had made her bearable. She wasn't drunk, not at all, but she was definitely tipsy and that coupled with the exhilaration of performing had transformed Relena into someone else. She was smiling, not her fake politician smile, but a real smile that lit up her eyes and brightened her features. She looked like a young girl, carefree and happy. Her scent was that of expensive perfume and the sweet fresh fragrance of her skin… and he probably had indulged in a glass of wine too many as well.

"See, I'm not so bad," Relena told him, still smiling and completely relaxed in his arms.

It irked him that she was tall enough in those ridiculous heels of hers that she was almost the same height as he. "Yes, you are almost tolerable when you keep your lips sealed," he said dryly. She surprised him by laughing at his sharp retort.

"My heart is aflutter with your words," she sighed dramatically. "No more compliments from you, Wufei, or you'll soon have me melt into a puddle at your feet."

He wondered how she had managed to procure such thick skin. She dealt with his harsh words with a shrug and a bite of her own. He knew her to be a shrewd and intelligent woman but even so, her casual treatment of his acidic comments had been a constant puzzlement ever since she had first stepped into his office. Wufei supposed that with the people she surrounded herself with a thick skin was essential for survival.

"You're smiling," Relena declared, taking the liberty of calling the slight twitch of his lips a smile.

"You're drunk."

"Perhaps, as I am finding your company less grating that usual."

There it was again, that almost imperceptible twist in the corner of his lips. It wasn't the smile she had hoped for but it was a start. He was a wonderful dancer, strong and confident, leading her smoothly through the dance, making her feel almost as if she were floating. The hand that was at the small of her back was drawing gentle soothing circles that threatened to buckle her knees. She had not been joking when she had told Wufei that she could end up in a puddle at his feet. His touch was a shocking contrast to his prickly attitude. Gagged Wufei would make the best of boyfriends. She tittered at the image of an exasperated looking Wufei with one of her scarves around his mouth.

Wufei was starting to scrunch up his brow so Relena decided wisely curb her smile. Surprisingly she was having a good time, better than most functions she had attended alone or with some inconsequential date. Even with their constant fighting and his non-stop grumbling, Wufei was the best company she'd ever had since… forever. He didn't hang on her every word, he didn't cater to her every need and want and he didn't treat her as if she were made of glass. Okay, that seemed to be more of a bad thing but the truth was that she was coming to enjoy the dynamics of their relationship. Wufei was infuriating, nothing was changing that, but it had been so long that someone had gotten under her skin in such a manner. At least Wufei made her wake up from the monotony of her everyday life. Being with Wufei was like gulping down a strong cup of coffee after an endless sleepless night.

"May I cut in?"

Relena tensed in his arms, groaning audibly at the presence of the clean-cut looking gentleman that had asked to cut in. Relena rolled her eyes, smiling derisively at him. Wufei nodded at the waiting man and released Relena into his arms. He noticed Relena's body language instantly changing, becoming severe and distant, completely different from what she had been when she was with him. The man was holding Relena close, much closer than Wufei had but still Relena looked uninterested and uninvolved. Wufei smirked as he walked away from the dancing couple.

"Jealous?"

"I'm about to challenge him to duel any second now," Wufei replied to Noin who was watching the dance floor with interest from a dark corner. Zechs was waltzing with a petite woman who stared adoringly up into his eyes. It was common knowledge that Noin was still deeply in love with Zechs.

Noin laughed. "My money is on you."

"I'd wager on you too. In fact, one more deadly glare sent the girl's way and she'll topple down shrieking in pain."

"Am I that obvious?"

Wufei raised an eyebrow for an answer.

"I'm pathetic."

"I believe so."

"Thanks," Noin said sarcastically.

Noin had always respected and admired Wufei, not only because of his service as a gundam pilot but also for his dedication to preventers and his upfront manner. He had his temper, and he could be strict and staunchly formal but Noin found him pleasing to work and converse with. Relena complained continuously about everything about him, his temper, his tactlessness and manners, that she seemed to be describing someone entirely different from the Wufei that Noin had come to know. Wufei also seemed to have a strange aversion toward Relena. The situation Relena and Wufei found themselves in was twisted but also very humorous. Noin only wished Relena would be more willing to discuss the little details she was so desperate to hear.

"Wishing the girl ill fixes nothing, she's only an innocent bystander. It is Zechs that is the culprit."

"Are you advising I kick his ass?"

"It isn't my place to hand out advice to you, Noin."

She had spent more than half her life being in love with Zechs. It was hard to let go of the idea of them together, of losing all hope of ever being with him. "I want to kick his ass," Noin muttered.

Wufei laughed. "My money is on you."

Further conversation was halted by the arrival of Quatre who formally asked Noin to dance. She accepted reluctantly, not wanting to seem rude to the former gundam pilot.

Relena gazed upwards at the night sky, enjoying the stillness and the darkness. She had left the bevy of the party more than half and hour ago. Her feet were killing her, and she was socially maxed out for the night. If she had to offer another fake smile her face would surely crack. She sighed as she sat down on the bottom step of the elegant gazebo. She had been ready to leave for the past hour, but did not want to disturb Wufei who seemed to be genuinely enjoying the evening. She had already ruined the Preventer's party for him by being his date, she didn't want to ruin it even more by complaining that she was tired and wished to go home.

It had been nice to see Wufei unwinding in his environment, interacting with his colleagues and friends. She even caught a peek of a real smile and even a laugh when he had been talking to Noin. Most of the preventer officers seem to be in awe of him, gazing at him with curiosity and admiration. A few were friendly with him, shaking hands and patting him manly on the back. She wondered why it was, aside from their current situation, which had made Wufei dislike her so intensely when he seem to be completely capable of having decent interactions with pretty much everyone else.

"Do you always run off and hide?"

Relena yelped loudly.

She could hear Wufei chuckling softly. "You asshole."

"Such language, Ms. Darlian."

"You deserve it." Her heart was still pounding rapidly in her ribcage. "Please don't do that again ever."

"Talk to you? It will be my pleasure," Wufei told her sarcastically, coming to stand a few feet from where she was seated.

"Ha, and they say anal retentives don't have a sense of humor."

"It's always nice to prove you wrong."

Her feet were tucked under her long dress, only the tips of her toes peeked trough. The bottom of her light blue gown was streaked with dirt and grass stains. He quirked a brow at her uncharacteristic appearance. Wufei had never seen her with so much of a hair out of place. It was an understatement to say he was surprised to discover that she had been traipsing bare-footed on the lawn.

"Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes," he answered her, retrieving her shoes from the where they had been ungraciously discarded. He handed them to her, watching as she hiked up her dress to clasp her shoes on. Once she was done, he offered his hand to help her up, Relena accepted gracefully, smiling at him as he pulled her to her feet. "I think we've discovered the secret of getting along."

"Which is?" Wufei inquired as he led the way back to party.

"Lots of alcoholic beverages."

He turned around and gazed quizzically at her. The bitchy politician had disappeared entirely, leaving only a fresh face girl with a grass stained dress. Had it really been the wine? Being that the case he would have to ply Relena with drinks for all of their outings.

TBC


	8. Chapter Eight

Thanks for the kind reviews I appreciate every single of them.

Warning: Unbeta'd

**Chapter Eight **

Groggily, Noin fought the last vestiges of sleep and turned on her stomach, lazily wondering why she was naked. Her eyes instantly snapped open at feel of a solid body underneath her. She stared at the back of a blond head of hair, and thought cynically that it was the wrong shade and way too short. Noin became aware of the tenderness between her legs, that wonderful feeling after a good lay. She remembered the party, the bartender with the pretty smile, watching Wufei go after Relena, dancing with Quatre again…

Oh, God, no!

She leaned over the body, praying he wasn't who she thought he was. Before she could confirm or deny her suspicions, she was flipped onto her back, a solid body pinning her down. Quatre's angelic face was smiling down at her, his bangs falling endearingly into his eyes. Noin swallowed hard, staring into tender blue eyes that made her cringe with shame. She finally lost all semblance of composure when Quatre's gaze drifted downward, to her naked chest; his eyes went still, zeroing in on the marks he'd left the night before. He gave her a crooked smile, and nipped her bottom lip.

Instantly, Noin was on her feet, the dark navy sheets wrapped tightly around her body. Unfortunately, that left Quatre completely without cover. Noin closed her eyes at the sight. "I'm sorry."

"Noin, what's the matter?"

She could hear the bafflement in his voice. Noin turned around and started searching for her clothes, ignoring the naked man on the bed. She found her dress, mangled and torn at the food of the bed. She had no luck with her bra or panties. Her shoes, she found kicked across the room. She dressed quickly sans panties and bra, her back still turned toward Quatre. Finally, when there was nothing else to busy herself with, she turned toward the bed. Quatre was gazing at her, a frown on his smooth forehead, and completely unself-conscious about his nudity. "Have you seen my undergarments?"

"They're ruined," was all he said.

He was such a good boy, so sweet and courteous, always referring to her as 'Ms. Noin.' This was a nightmare, it wasn't possible that they had slept together, and definitely not in the way that the torn clothes and marks on her body pointed to. "Quatre, I'm so so-"

"Sorry, yes, I know." He gave a mirthless laugh. "I thought you were sober, I should have known better. I apologize for having taken advantage of you."

Noin shook her head, and handed him the sheet, he placed it carelessly on his lap. "I should leave."

"My driver can take you wherever you need to go."

"Thanks," Noin smiled at Quatre for both their sakes, to make the situation less awkward but she felt like she might burst into tears at any second.

* * *

Wufei parked his motorcycle in Relena's driveway and made his way to the door.

Her highness had beckoned, telling him that her brother wanted to have dinner with both of them and had requested that he show up early in order to get their facts straights for Milliardo. He debated whether to tell Zechs the truth about his relationship with his sister. However, he didn't know how Zechs would react; he didn't want to gamble with a perfectly good professional relationship. When this was over, everything would back to normality, he doubted that would be the case if went to Zechs now. But he wanted to, so badly to humiliate Relena.

5649 W. Amerige.

Pretty place, Wufei thought, wondering if Relena had trouble finding her own home amid the hundreds of other look alike houses. All two story houses, painted a dull brown, with a three-car garage and a medium size yard. It suited her, the upper class private suburbia neighborhood, even if he had pictured her living in a sprawling mansion with a footman and servants tending to her night and day. He rang the bell, twice, and cursed when she didn't come to the door. He tried the doorknob, remembering that Relena had said she'd leave the door open for him in case she was out when he arrived, and found it unlocked.

He went in, only to come face to face with the biggest dog he'd had ever seen. The dog stared balefully at him, a giant ball of black fur with no discernable pedigree. Wufei remained motionless, not wanting to antagonize such a large dog. Suddenly, the dog leaped at him, his paws coming to rest on his shoulders and proceeded to lick his face with gusto. Satisfied at the greeting, the dog then yipped and jumped playfully at his feet, vying for his attention. Disgusted, Wufei wiped his face and patted the exuberant dog on the head. Beaming at his attention the dog continued to play at his feet, almost toppling from his exuberant exertions. Some guard dog, Wufei thought, a smile edging at the corner of his lips. Oddly, the hyperactive dog with the big brown eyes reminded him of Duo.

He scratched the back of the dog's head, "Okay," he started, looking for the dog's collar. "Tulip, where's your mistress?" As if understanding, the dog took off running. He came to a stop at a closed door and waited patiently for Wufei to catch up.

"Thank you," Wufei said, now openly smiling at the dog's enthusiasm. The dog raised his right paw, Wufei laughed and shook it.

He knocked on the door and went in. He found Relena in sweats and a t-shirt, kicking the crap out of a heavy bag. She had an intensely concentrated look, delivering jabs and kicks with stunning ability. He watched for a while, judging her skills. What she lacked in strength she more than made up for quickness. Kickboxing, he decided, watching her execute a brutal uppercut that made his jaw tense, obviously learned from a local gym, more for the purpose of fitness than self-defense. She was adequate and a little undisciplined judging from her wild blows. Through his inspection, Relena remained oblivious, her attention only focused on the task.

"Your posture is wrong."

Relena turned, the scream caught in her throat when she saw Wufei leaning against the wall. "What?"

"You need to spread your legs wider," he said coming toward her. Relena looked at him, still not making sense of his presence. He turned her around, kicked the inside of her calves to widen her stand. "Now kick."

She did so automatically.

"Good. Did you feel the difference?"

"Yeah." She took a deep breath, her brain finally catching up.

She wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. She was a mess, sweaty and probably smelly, with her hair plastered unattractively to her head. She had been so jittery about her brother visiting that she had decided to spend some of her nervous energy kickboxing. She had never intended to lose herself in it, blocking out everything else. "You're early."

"It's five o'clock."

"Oh," Relena said absentmindedly, noticing what he was wearing for the first time; faded jeans that hung perfectly on his narrow hips, a bomber jacked and ancient sneakers. She didn't think she had ever seen him in anything other than a uniform or formal wear. He looked… approachable and very very hot. His hair was tied in his usual ponytail and her hands actually itched to unbind his hair. Relena was staring and probably drooling as well, but she didn't really have any incentive to care.

"You said it was going to be informal," he told her icily, taking her thorough once over and staring as disapproval.

"Oh, no, you look really good," Relena cringed at her words. "What I mean is that you're perfect. For the meeting." Relena cleared her throat uncomfortably, feeling her face reddening. "Would you mind if I take a shower? I'm afraid time slipped away from me."

He nodded.

"Make yourself at home," she told him, almost running out the room.

Twenty minutes later, Relena came downstairs, dressed similarly as Wufei; in jeans and a t-shirt. Following the noise of loud barking she made her way to the backyard, there she found her dog running around wildly, his tongue lolling out, his eyes euphoric as Wufei played fetch with him. Again she felt he shock of how attractive Wufei really was. His lanky frame infused with strength, the play of muscle evident even through his shirt as he threw the ball for Tulip to fetch. Relena had always been aware of Wufei, how good he looked, even with his ever constant pinched expression, but had always pushed that fact to the corner of her mind. Now, though, with Wufei looking so damn sexy and relaxed, it was all she could think about.

She remembered another time, when they had run into each other at some function, and she had been unable to keep her eyes off him. She had been dazzled by his lean form and his dark eyes staring moodily at her and his mouth tight in a prim line and… and then he had opened his mouth. He had taken an intense dislike of her since the very first time they had met, Relena was more than aware of it. Still, despite herself, more than once in the last several years she had felt a pull deep inside her when she spotted him in a crowd, or felt a shiver run through her when their eyes accidentally locked. Most of the time though, she felt like murdering him.

She let man and dog play for a while, and left to start dinner.

Relena was only beginning the simple dinner of rice, steamed vegetables and beef when Wufei stepped inside the kitchen. She smiled at his breathless entrance, his hair somewhat messy, a few strands out of place.

"Does he ever run out energy?"

"Nope, he sort of reminds me of Duo," she laughed. "What?" She asked when he looked at her oddly, hoping he hadn't taken offense in his friend's behalf.

"Nothing," he replied, a little peeved because he had echoed her thoughts about her dog. "When did you start kickboxing?"

"A while back. My brother thought it would wise for me to be able to defend myself." She shrugged. "So far I haven't needed it, but it helps me relieve stress."

He nodded at her, noting the insecure way she measure ingredients, looking back and forth between a book and the foodstuffs on the counter. "Ms. Darlian, do you need assistance?"

"I'm not much of a cook," she confessed, noting the way he was looking at her.

"Really?" he asked, looking serious, but the corner of lip was twitching in a way that was becoming familiar to Relena.

She laughed, "Okay, I suck at it. I always try to cook something for my brother at least once when he's here. It's a lot more personal that eating out or catering. He has never complained yet."

"I'm sure you could serve him mud topped with whipped cream and the man would wolf it down and sing your praises."

"You think so?" she asked, as if she really needed his validation to prove that her brother loved her.

Wufei winced at the unhealthy amount of seasoning she put on the beef. "Let me help you, please." He was already going to spend an uncomfortable evening with her and her brother; he didn't need bad food added to the mix.

"You cook?"

"Don't look so surprised," he said standing up, rounding the island to help her.

But she was surprised, Wufei didn't seem like the type of man that would know his way around the kitchen. It didn't fit with his persona. It was obvious after a few minutes of watching him work that he was much more talented in the culinary arts that she. He ended up taking charge of the making of her meal, and she turned into his assistant, handing him ingredients and utensils. Through it, they discussed what they would say to her brother, learning little things about each other as they did so. Birthdays, family, hobbies anything that might come out during dinner. Wufei wasn't that forthcoming, and neither was she, which was okay, since for all intent and purposes they were only starting to date. She still wanted to know more about him.

It was something to be standing so close to him, to smell the clean scent of him, to watch him work gracefully with those elegant long fingered hands. He moved smoothly and gracefully with a concentrated look of his face that she found terribly cute. To add to the surrealism of the situation he actually donned a dishtowel as a makeshift apron and tucked it inside the waist of his jeans. Yummy, yummy, Relena thought, and she wasn't referring to the food. Another surprise for her was that Wufei was patient with her, explaining the steps and the precise amount of ingredients necessary. He was a good teacher, someone who would be strict but fair and thorough. In the end her humble meal had been turned into a work of art.

"Oh, my god!" Relena exclaimed, not believing that steamed vegetables could taste so good, especially if she had anything to do with preparing them. The ginger sauce Wufei had made was just indescribable. She licked her fingers and stopped suddenly at the look Wufei was giving her. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to having something so good in my kitchen." She wondered if she was referring to the food or him.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said, the image of Relena savoring that piece of broccoli imprinted in his mind forever. The drawn out moan she let out had been almost orgasmic.

"My brother is in for quite a surprise. Thank you."

She was smiling at him and it was almost blinding him. "You're welcome."

* * *

At exactly seven o'clock, the doorbell rang and Tulip dashed to the front door. When Relena opened the door, as always, the dog launched himself at whomever was on the other side. Milliardo dusted himself fastidiously as Relena smiled sheepishly at him and held Tulip by his collar. "Sorry."

"When I said get a guard dog, I meant a vicious Doberman not a giant ball of fur that can lick you to death."

"You can't cuddle a vicious Doberman," Relena stated as she led Tulip away.

"That's exactly my point," he said dryly, watching his sister struggle with the eager dog that was dying to slobber all over him.

Zechs looked around the living room, noting the framed picture of him holding baby Relena on the mantle, next to various other pictures. He wondered if she only brought it out when he came to visit. It could be a definite possibility, except that Relena had also given him a key to her house when she had bought it four years ago. He was a stranger to Relena, his picture should not have been next to the one of her adopted parents. There he was, however, and always an incredible warmth and tenderness for Relena spread through him at the sight of their picture standing next to other pictures of her loved ones.

Relena came back a few minutes later, gave him a kiss on the cheek. Zechs wanted to hold her tight, as he had done only once when she'd been fourteen. He hadn't been thrilled, he remembered when she been brought home by his parents. Relena was always crying, fussy and demanding of his mother's attention. He had liked to make her laugh when she got older, when his parents let him play with her, he had liked the way her tiny hand would wrap about his fingers, he had been especially fond of her toothless smile, her chubby cheeks soft and round. It was his job to protect her, his parents told him, to look after her. Even as a child he had taken the duty seriously. It had been her memory, his duty to her that had kept him going through the war; it was still what kept him going.

"Come, on," Relena said taking his hand and leading him to the dinning room. "Dinner's ready."

"You really don't need to put yourself to the trouble, Lenny. We could have easily dined out."

"I know. But I…" she looked away shyly.

"She likes testing your love," Wufei finished for her, already seated comfortably in the large dinning room.

Zechs cracked a smile and sat, preparing himself for bland, burnt or overly seasoned food. He had never had the heart to tell his sister that her cooking left much to be desired. She had always looked so hopeful, her eyes begging him to like the meal, always looking so earnest.

Conversation flowed smoothly if a bit limited in its topics. Work, politics, and the never failing social silent filling item; the weather. It was a still a heck of a lot better than when he'd had dinner with Yuy, Zechs thought. He had never liked Yuy, not for his baby sister. Ultimately, he knew, his opinion didn't matter but he still liked to meet the men Relena dated. It was his job as older brother to look after Relena's welfare; a job he took very much to heart.

Upon tasting the first morsel on his plate, his eyes snapped to Relena, "Did you cook this?" he asked surprised. "It's very good." He took another bite of the scrumptious food in front of him, almost groaning from the pleasure. This was certainly unexpected.

"You don't have to look so shocked," Relena pouted but was pleased at his reaction. "Wufei cooked it," she admitted.

"Ahh," he said, nodding at the younger man with something akin to humor in his eyes.

Relena noticed Wufei returning the friendly gaze with a smile, then unable to control himself he gave a light chuckle. "I saw Relena's ability in the kitchen and I must say they are abysmal. However did you manage to eat_ anything _she made?"

"Through sheer will and determination. Although, I admit that coq au vin dish she served me last time was quite a challenge."

"Hey," Relena started, outraged and then burst out laughing because her brother looked too cute wrinkling his nose in such a manner and because it was the first time he had ever teased her like this.

"You screwed up chicken?" Wufei asked, shaking his head at her, a smile on his tanned face.

"I think I might have put in too much wine," Relena chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully.

"And I think I got drunk from it," Milliardo said, gazing at her, also smiling.

"Keep that up and I'm never going to cook for you again."

"Well that's an incentive," Wufei deadpanned.

Zechs chortled, "I apologize, dear sister." He took her hand and rubbed her palm gently. "You can cook for me anytime you wish to." The fact was that he loved his sister cooking for him, no matter how god-awful the food was. It meant a lot to him that she would take the time, make the effort to make something for him that she would rarely bothered with for anyone else.

Relena beamed at him. "Next time, how about you cook for me?"

"Done," Milliardo told her smiling tenderly, bringing her hand up for his lips to kiss.

It was tangible, the love the siblings shared and yet there was a sense of stiffness around the air, as they were not completely comfortable with each other, as if there was a thick barrier between them. Wufei observed them in silence, feeling like an intruder.

The proverbial ice broken, the rest of the evening went much better. For dessert Relena brought out a cheesecake that to everyone's relief had been bought at a bakery. Both Wufei and her brother, but especially her brother continued to razzle her about her cooking skills. Milliardo, to her mortification, recited every single one of the meals she had prepared for him, describing each one as a battle he had fought and barely survived.

After dinner, they moved to the patio. Relena, always keeping in mind that she and Wufei were supposed to be a couple, sat in the arm his lawn chair, with her hand on shoulder blade, and her thigh grazing his torso. The touch wasn't unpleasant, Wufei surmised, but nevertheless unwelcome. She would turn toward him periodically, drawing him into the conversation, her breast making contact with his shoulder, and he tried not to squirm. He had fought two wars, looked death in eye, he could handle the former queen of the world's breast touching his person. He steeled himself and continued making light conversation with Relena and Zechs.

It was maddening, her little touches, the way she kept smiling down at him, shifting so her legs would make more contact with his body. He could just sit there, and let her… take liberties with his body in front of her brother while he fantasized about running for his life, away from her and anything having to do with her. He had been about to lose it when she had started playing nonchalantly with his ponytail, and had sent her a look that would have curdled milk. Either she was immune or he was losing his edge because Relena only smiled and patted his thigh affectionly.

Thankfully a little before ten, Zechs said his goodbyes. Wufei started relaxing again as Relena saw him to the door. He went to the kitchen and started tidying up, trying to regain some of his composure before she got back. It had been unsettling being the focus of Relena's attention, her hands touching gently, her body cozying up to him, her eyes shinning at him almost making him believe that she really did care for him. He shook his head, trying to shake the weird aura around him as well. He took deep breaths and felt the tension slowly leaking out of his body.

His newfound peace was shattered when two slender arms wrapped around his waist and a pair of soft lips brushed against his jaw.

"That was amazing," Relena told him, bubbling with laughter. She felt his body tensing and quickly released him, embarrassed at her actions. "Leave that alone," she ordered, taking the dishes he had been loading into the dishwasher away from his hands.

"I'm going to head home now,"

"Okay. Thanks for everything, Wufei, for the food, the kickboxing tip, and putting up with me. Again, I'm sorry for causing you or your girlfriend any inconvenience." Relena had to make herself remember, that not only did Wufei not like her, but that he had also hinted at having a girlfriend.

Girlfriend, what girlfriend? Then he remembered saying something about being involved with someone. He wasn't involved with anyone but apparently Relena had misconstrued his hypothetical example and thought he was actually in a relationship with someone. "I don't have a girlfriend." As soon as Wufei finished the sentence he heard alarm bells ringing loudly; the volume increasing at Relena's pleased smile.

He had to snap out of it, he thought as he drove home, had to look beyond the lovely package and look deeper. It had been a long time since he had fallen for those seemingly guileless eyes, for her trim body, that smile that had once made his heart jump. A charity, he remembered with clarity, he'd been barely twenty, and had run into her on the balcony. Her gown was an exquisite silver, her hair piled atop her head, displaying her graceful neck. She had turned and a smile had pop out at the sight of him. He remembered feeling dizzy, the ground shifting unsteadily beneath his feet. She had shaken his hand, greeting him politely, and then she left, back to Heero who was waiting inside.

She was fake, her little performance tonight proved it further. She was a mirage, only a mirage and he would be a fool to fall victim to her charms.

TBC

Tell me what you guys think!!! Good, bad, boring?


	9. Chapter Nine

_Thank you for the reviews. They're quite wonderful. _

_Warning: Unbeta'd; read at your own risk. _

**Chapter Nine**

Relena sighed audibly as her friends stepped yet through another store. Normally she loved shopping, especially for clothes and trinkets, but Dorothy had been at it since the early morning trying to find the perfect outfit to wear for her and her boyfriend's special night. It was already two o'clock; it was getting ridiculous. She looked at Noin, who was the one who always complained about their shopping excursions uproariously, but as the entirely of the day, Noin remained quiet and withdrawn. Relena hadn't seen her like this since she had come back from Mars.

"Dot, I'm hungry," Relena whined, cursing her lack of sense when she chose to wear her strappy sandals with the killer heels. She wanted to rest her feet, get something to eat, and have a long talk with Noin.

"Just one more store."

"That's what you said before."

"Yes, but I was lying those other times. This time is for sure," Dorothy answered shamelessly before taking a glass of champagne from a passing store associate.

Noin rolled her eyes and sat down on a plush chair. Bored, something Relena didn't think would ever happen when shopping, she chose to follow Noin's example and sat next to her while Dorothy huffed and glared at them. She walked away shaking with one last contemptuous glance, muttering something about dull women who needed to get laid. Used to her acerbic personality, Noin and Relena didn't give another thought to her parting comments. "Tired?" she asked her companion in misery.

"Not really," Noin sighed, and gave her a strained smile. She ran her head trough her short hair.

"Are you alright?" Relena asked in concern.

"Yeah, just… I'm-"

Her response was interrupted by the arrival of Dorothy who was carrying two sets of outfits. "I found it! What do you think?"

Relena raised an eyebrow at the red lace teddy that left almost nothing to the imagination. "Isn't it a bit… much?"

"Nonsense, Fredrick will love it."

"What's the other one for?" Noin asked, Dorothy's enthusiasm bringing her around somewhat. She had never seem her so happy and in love before, it was heartening to see her acting so girlishly.

"This one is for Relena," she handed her the sheer silk gown to the Relena, smiling widely. "Wufei can send me a thank you note later," she laughed and winked at her.

"I don't think so," Relena said, fingering the beaded work on the gown. Beautiful, she thought, pink in color, with lovely beaded work. Quite sexy with it's opening down the front, but also soft and quietly seductive. "He and I are just dating."

"Pfft, so what? You have to look ahead."

There was nothing to look ahead to, _nothing to look forward to_, her dark side added, she and Wufei were going nowhere. In a short while they would part ways, and Wufei would avoid her the same way he'd had been for years. For some reason, she felt absolutely destitute. She couldn't tell Dorothy about the deal she had made with Wufei, Dot was a good friend, but very unpredictable. It wasn't that she didn't trust her, but she wasn't comfortable talking about it. It had been embarrassing enough to explain to Noin, and just the bare minimum. Noin had been patient and understanding, Dorothy would be demanding, wanting to hear every single detail, embarrassing Relena to no end.

"Leave her alone," Noin said, taking the gown from Relena and throwing at Dorothy's face.

Dorothy sputtered, "Hey, this is perfect for her. It will leave Wufei speechless," she said confidently, but she was starting to look suspiciously at Relena's dejected face and Noin's defensive stance. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Relena said, sounding a little too cheerful even to her own ears. "It is perfect for me. Come on, let's go pay for it and get something to eat."

At a restaurant, with her feet discreetly bared under the table, and with a full stomach Relena felt much better. Dorothy was on her cell, making cooing sounds to her boyfriend, laughing and giggling, Noin was staring moodily at her half-finished plate.

"I slept with Quatre."

The statement dropped like an atomic bomb.

"Oh my god. Baby, I'll call you back." Dorothy ended her call and stared avidly at Noin. "How good was he?"

"Dot!" Relena chastised. She wondered what had made Noin blurt out something so personal. She had expected to badger Noin until she finally admitted what was wrong. Relena had figured it had something to do with her brother. She wasn't even aware of Noin having any other lovers other than Milliardo. "What happened?"

"The Preveter Anniversary party… I had a little too much to drink."

"Was he that bad?" Dorothy joked instinctively, noticing her tear-filled eyes. She was getting worried now, if that little shit had done anything-

"The only person I've ever been with is Zechs… I…" Noin rubbed her temples wearily, glad that she had finally told someone about what had been eating at her all week but feeling horribly exposed and vulnerable. "I feel terrible."

Relena struggled with words, not knowing how to proceed. "Quatre, what did he have to say?"

"He apologized for taking advantage of me, looking sad, and those big eyes shameful and sad."

"He didn't, you know, at least make the effort and say that he would call you?" Dorothy inquired.

"I didn't give him a chance."

Relena stared at her best friend, her sister, and felt helpless. "Maybe this is a good thing, I mean, to get over Milliardo."

"Yeah, about time. Now is the time to make up for all your years of repressed sexual frustration. I mean you're what past thirty and you've only been with one man…"

Relena shot Dorothy a dirty look. "What I meant was, that Quatre is obviously into you… I think you should give him a shot."

"It was a one-night stand, Relena," Noin responded acidly.

"You just said that you didn't give him a chance to say anything," Dorothy pointed out.

They didn't understand she thought, didn't know what it was to love somebody so much for so long and then doing something so completely stupid for no reason at all other than out of spite and too much booze. Relena got the gist, because of Heero, but even she had moved on after a period of time. It was stupid but she felt like she had betrayed Zechs, even though he probably wouldn't even care whom she shared her bed with. The truth was she didn't want to let go, not yet. Pathetic, yes, but her heart broke into tiny little pieces by just thinking about erasing Zechs from her life and dreams.

* * *

Relena took a bite of her omelette and made a face. She was a capable and intelligent woman… why on earth couldn't she prepare a decent meal? She had dozens of cookbooks, from Mexican to French cuisine but none of the books had helped her in any way, shape, or form. Her food was edible, perhaps bland, over-seasoned, or slightly zinged but never just right. It irked her that she would forget to add a crucial ingredient, that she would let the stove or oven burn to high, or some such small thing like that. Sadly she knew what her problem was, she tended to get focused on one thing and forget the whole. She'd never been adequate at multi-tasking, preferring to finish something before she started another endeavor. 

She was debating whether to chuck the omelette or not when she heard her doorbell ringing. Tulip was already wagging his tail at the door, ready to maul the unsuspecting victim. She looked through the peephole and immediately opened the door.

"Don't you dare," her brother addressed Tulip. Heedless of Milliardo's apparent foul mood, Tulip barked in greeting and launched himself at Milliardo. "Have you given any thought to obedience school?" He said trying to dislodge the giant dog from his shoulders.

"He's a graduate."

"Have you given any thought to drugs?"

Relena smiled and leaned up to kiss her brother on the cheek. "He wouldn't be Tulip if he was all doped up. And yes, I understand that's your point." They walked to the kitchen, with Relena leading the way, Tulip on her heels, and Milliardo following reluctantly behind them, fearing that she intended to feed him. Relena gave the remnants of her breakfast to Tulip and popped some l'eggos in the toaster. "What brings you here on a Sunday morning? Not that I mind, of course."

Milliardo took something out of his back trouser pocket and handed it to Relena. It was glossy magazine. "Look at it," he said huffily.

It was a glossy tabloid magazine and right there in bright bold print was: **NAUGTHY OR NICE: Ms. Darlian Reveals all. **Wufei was going to be pissed was the only thing she could think of when she came to the article that her brother was so upset about. They had taken pictures of her in the lingerie store with Noin and Dorothy, there was even a picture of the outfits that were bought. Worst of all there was a picture of her sitting practically on Wufei's lap, leaning down suggestively. Had she really looked that… sexy? There was something about Wufei that made her photograph well. She didn't look herself at all. She gave a small giggle and lifted her eyes to see her brother frowning and pointedly staring at her wall as if his life depended on it.

Her brother had seen this, read the raunchy article and seen the lingerie that Dot had picked out for her. Aw, shit. Her face heat it up, she knew she be blushing furiously. The toaster clicked and she busied herself preparing the waffles for a few minutes, trying to get her humiliation under control.

"You and Wufei should be more careful." Milliardo said to her back.

Relena turned and was going to assure her brother than this would not what he thought it was when she noticed that her brother was even more flushed that she was. His fair complexion was tomato red and he was still avoiding looking at her. Giggles bubbled out of her before she could stop her self. At the sound her brother turned his burning face toward her, frowning irritably. That only made her laugh harder. "We always are," she said winking, and delighting in Milliardo's uncomfortable fidgeting. "You're a prude."

"Am not," Milliardo said offended. "I just don't happen to enjoy the sight of my sister's… _night clothes_ displayed for everyone to see."

"It's only a tabloid."

"So you didn't buy it," Milliardo said hopefully.

"Oh, no, I did. Wanna see it?" This was fun, Relena thought. It reminded her of how much fun she'd had when she told Milliardo that the rumors of Wufei and her were true. She handed him a plate with waffles covered in butter and syrup.

"No, that'll be fine. Thank you." He took a deep breath and sat down. "This is serious. Your reputation-"

"is perfectly fine. You don't have to worry about me." She sat down opposite to him and dug into her own breakfast. "Eat up, it's my specialty. I'm an Ace with frozen foods."

Milliardo chuckled and started eating.

"You think Wufei will like my new teddy?"

He almost choked. "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Tremendously."

"Your waffles are soggy."

Relena puckered her lips into a pout. "Shall I tell you what Wufei and I did after you left?"

Her brother dutifully stuck a piece of waffle into his mouth.

"Orange juice?"

"Please."

The grinned at each other and finally Milliardo smiled and looked at her in the eye for the first time since he'd given her the magazine. They finished their breakfast in a friendly teasing mood. They cleared the table and loaded up the dishwater together. And then stood uncertainly staring at each other. She was enjoying it too much, teasing and joking with her brother, it felt nice. She didn't want to let go of the feeling just yet.

"Don't go yet," Relena said,"

"Relena, you don't have to do-"

"Come on, I won't cook. We'll order take out and do… stuff." Well that was lame.

"Thank you but I have things to do."

* * *

"Hey, Noin, how are you doing?" He walked passed her to enter her home, sank into her comfy sofa and grinned at her, that sexy grin that made butterflies flutter in her stomach. 

"Busy," was her monosyllabic answer, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.

"You want to hit the bars? We can shoot some pool-"

"I slept with Quatre." What was up with her and those four little words?

"Um…congratulations? I didn't know you two were together…"

"We're not," she said, looking and hoping for any sing of jealousy or regret. She didn't find any and it angered her more than it hurt her. She had just told him, the person she had been with for over five years, loved for most of her life, that she had slept with someone else and the man hadn't even blinked. "You never loved me did you?"

"What?"

"I was just a convenience to you wasn't I? Only there to support you, to take care of your sister, to fuck…"

He was shocked at her temper, the words that were spilling out her mouth, the anger in her eyes. "I don't understand. I-"

"Get out. I don't want to be your ol' academy buddy, I don't want see you, I don't want to know anything about you."

"Noin-"

"Leave!"

Slowly, he stood up from his seat, the shock clear in his face. He wanted to hold her, comfort her in the same way she had comforted him throughout his life. Always there, she had always been there for him. His best friend, the only person that understood and accepted him as he was. He left, defeated, knowing he had lost something valuable and having no idea how that had occurred. He could hear her sobbing through the door and it tore him apart. He didn't know what to do, what to say, how to fix it. They had ended the relationship in good terms, deciding their relationship wasn't working, admitting that they had given it a good try and agreeing to remain friends.

Zechs hadn't known, had never imagined that she still felt something for him. She and Relena were the most important people in his life; he couldn't imagine it without Noin. She was a constant in his life, if Relena was his driving force then Noin was his sanity, his base…

* * *

She had thought the dinner with Wufei and Milliardo had been a success. She'd been wrong. They were all stuck in the same places they had been before. Wufei barely tolerated her and her brother… Zechs was uncomfortable with her. Relena wished she knew how to act around them. With her brother she felt unsure of the boundaries, how much to push, how much to reveal. She felt like she had let him down in someway by not continuing her political career to the degree he had planned. Her brother loved her she was sure, but more out of obligation than anything else and the insult of that was hard to swallow. Even more painful was when he refused her tentative steps to deepen their relationship. 

Wufei was completely different. With him she felt self-conscious, too aware of the limitations around their relationship. She had taken advantage of him the night of the dinner, knowing full well that Wufei would later withdraw, but she had been intent on convincing her brother that she and Wufei were an item. As far was Wufei was concerned she was a little too good at pretending. Their last encounter had been cold and distant, Wufei not even bringing himself to touch her even in the most perfunctory of ways. It was kind of funny to see Wufei go to great lengths not to be in contact with her. Relena knew she had gone too far that night, sitting so close, her side pressed to his chest, invading his personal space, playing with his hair. But it was probably her only chance to do so. Could anyone really blame her?

"You should lock your doors, Ms. Darlian."

Relena lifted her eyes from her laptop and smiled at Wufei. "I had a feeling you'd be stopping by today." She closed her computer, got up from the floor and sat down properly on a sofa of her study room.

"You've seen the article."

"Yes. Please take a seat." He did so, taking the seat farthest away from her. Relena almost smiled at his behavior. "It's only a tabloid."

"That's my objection."

"No one takes it seriously, Wufei."

"I take it seriously, Ms. Darlian. And I want this finished."

"Not yet."

"In a month."

"Wufei-"

"In a month, Ms. Darlian," he stated, his face set, his tone definite.

Why was she even doing this, Relena asked herself. The purpose had been to convince her brother and that had been accomplished. "Okay," she said, feeling a twinge in the pit of her stomach as she said it.

Wufei was taken aback by her easy agreement. "Good."

"You have to admit, though, we photograph well," she joked.

Wufei scoffed. "How can you stand it?"

"What?"

"Living under a microscope."

"Only since you entered my life Wufei. I've been living in the dark for some years now. My life is too boring for tabloids to bother with me. Come to think about it, this is _your_ fault."

"Don't remind me," he said derisively. "I know."

"Would you like something to drink?" she asked, hoping that he would stay with her.

"No, thank you. I'm leaving." He stood up.

"Would you have liked it, Wufei?" she asked when Wufei was almost out the door.

"What, Ms. Darlian?"

"The teddy," Relena replied softly, burning heat invading her cheeks.

He didn't dignify her question with an answer. He only stomped out of her study with a sneer on his face and a look of contempt. But she didn't regret the impulsive and inappropriate question that popped out of her lips before she could push the words back in. Before he'd turn away, Relena had seen a flash of heat in his eyes, a quick perusal of her body, a sharp breath taken at the notion. Relena placed her hand on her chest, on her ribcage and felt her heart pounding beneath her palm. Wow, Wufei… Wufei found her attractive? That deserved some looking into.

TBC

_Wow, nine chapters, I can't believe this is turning out to be my longest fic yet! I'm guessing five more chapters, maybe six. Review please…soggy waffles for everyone that does. _


	10. Chapter Ten

_Warning: Unbeta'd, read at your own risk_.

* * *

Chapter 10

Relena gave an exasperated sigh, which Wufei ignored, and let herself fall back onto the picnic blanket. She stared at the clouds and thought that she was way too old to be playing these games. Wufei wouldn't even look at her, let alone talk to her. Things had gotten steadily worst since the night of the dinner with her brother. She had thought that perhaps a little outing just by themselves would help things along. She'd been wrong. Wufei wouldn't bother with her even to offer one of his scathing remarks. He was sitting with his back to the trunk of a tree, his arms crossed, his eyes closed, and a 'don't fuck with me' scowl on his face. She supposed that Wufei had reached the end of his rope with her when she asked if he liked her lingerie.

She smacked herself on the forehead, feeling embarrassment at the memory of how stupid she had acted. She had accomplished nothing but make a fool of herself in front of Wufei, again. For a while she had been… gleeful at the thought that Wufei felt an attraction toward her. That theory had been quickly discarded. Their relationship was even more strained now than it was before. Relena preferred the brutal honesty and often times insulting manner to this unresponsive and silent companion. She sighed dramatically again, turned her face in his direction and studied him openly. He was absolutely mouth watering in khaki shorts and black t-shirt. In casual wear he looked a smidgen less intimidating than in a uniform or formal wear. Not that it helped her much, since she always managed to do act like a complete idiot when he focused his dark eyes on her.

When had her purpose shifted from convincing her brother to getting to know more about enigmatic Wufei? She wanted him to get to know her as well, wanted him to like her, just a little. To show him that she was more than he gave her credit for. But everything had blown up in her face. Well, at least her brother was completely convinced that they were a couple. That had to count for something, as it had been her initial plan.

Then why was she doing this again?

She didn't need any more emotionally unresponsive and complicated men in her life. She gazed up at the sky, knowing that she had to end things now before it got worst between Wufei and her. She had disrupted his life for her own selfish reasons; anyone would be justified to be angry with her. Wufei had told her he didn't have a girlfriend, perhaps she had misinterpreted his words, what he had meant to say was that he didn't have a girlfriend _anymore_ because of her. Or maybe he didn't have a girlfriend… he had a boyfriend. That would be just wonderful, she thought cynically.

But the look he had given her when she mentioned the teddy… it still made her shake. Those intense eyes of his had perused her body from head to toe, quick but thorough and strangely intimate. His eyes had always made strange things occur within her, but his gaze that day had been so intense… it made her yearn for him in a way she knew could never be. Why did he look at her like that when he could barely stand to be in her company? She wished she had the guts to ask him. She wished she could go back in time and fix things with him, make it better. She wouldn't change meeting him that night when their picture was taken, or asking him for his help later. Nope, not that. She just wished she had done things differently.

At least she had a few good memories. Wufei playing with tulip, helping her cook a meal for her brother, joking with Milliardo, instructing her on the proper way to deliver a kick, dancing with him, kissing him…

If she ever had a chance with, slight as it might had been, she had completely screwed it up. Wufei would not forgive her for manipulating him, forcing him to have his life displayed to the public and all because he thought he would damage his career if he would not do as she wanted. He must think horribly of her. It pained her to think about it now, but she'd had no qualms about using the perception he had of her to her advantage. Relena knew that he would never have agreed to help her otherwise.

One more month he had said, and her mind had schemed ways to rise to the challenge; a month to make Wufei change his mind about her. The picnic she was currently suffering in was one of those little schemes. It was silly now that she thought about it, naïve on her part. It was not even rational why she wanted to prolong her arrangement with Wufei. The man was stubborn, disagreeable and way too uptight. However, despite that, she didn't find him all that objectionable. Not at all, she thought as she peeked at him again. Not that it mattered as this would soon be over.

Wufei felt her gaze on him, again.

If he opened his eyes he was sure she'd be staring at him, looking inviting and fresh, with those long legs of hers stretched out, her head tilted to the side, a small smile on her face. His eyes remained closed, trying to block her out by meditation, sleeping, _anything_ to make him stop dwelling on Relena or that damn pink scrap of silk. Relena was an attractive woman, perhaps not a beautiful one, but her appeal was more than skin deep. The image she presented was of determination, strength and softness topped off with a pretty face. Wufei knew better though, he knew that was only an act; he'd been the recipient of her less than friendly gestures over the years. How many times had he seen her smile falter when she saw him? Or walk away when he neared? Given him disapproving looks at his words? Argued with him for no apparent reason other than her dislike of him? He knew better. He should. And yet he couldn't stop thinking of her.

Wufei had always noticed her, had always been aware of the pull he had on him, but until recently he had been able to disregard the feeling. When she had come to his office wearing those skirts, showcasing her long legs, he had felt it, the attraction, but he had kept control over it. When Relena had kissed him, he had sampled her taste, her scent, felt her breasts pressing into his chest, he had ignored it again. Their later meetings had proven more difficult to resist, especially when she had been tipsy and all giggles after her speech, especially after she had sat on his side, playing with his hair, bombarding him with her attention… but he had resisted. And then he hand seen that rag magazine while grocery shopping, imagined her wearing it for him. The image wouldn't leave him be. That's when he knew the charade had to stop before he become one of her many adoring and imbecile followers. He knew her. He knew she wasn't the saintly princess everyone saw. It made no sense that he would be afflicted this way by her.

"Wufei."

Her soft voice almost made him jump out of his skin, so deep in thought he'd been. Wufei felt her take a seat next to him, their shoulders and hips almost touching but not quite. He opened his eyes and glared at her. Relena's smile faltered and she averted her eyes away. Her scent was subtle but potent, and like always it made him want to bring her close and bury his face in her neck, in her hair… She was still looking away from him, but he glared at her nonetheless. Wufei closed his eyes again, wondering why this woman had this effect on him. He didn't even like her.

"I'm sorry," she said, startling Wufei once again. "For everything I've put you through. I tend to get carried away, and I never met to-" she took a deep breath and leaned fully back into the tree. "I'm sorry okay. I really am. I just want you to know that I would have never hurt your career, if you knew me; you'd know I would be incapable of doing that. I admit I took advantage of your perception of me, but I would have never have gone through with it, the idea never even crossed my mind. I never had anything against you."

Wufei scoffed loudly at the last statement.

"I don't," she defended. "You and I have never been exactly friendly, but you must realize that is mainly your fault," she said primly.

_His fault? Yeah, right, Miss Ice queen. _

"You're so damn intimidating and you're so cold towards me and downright hostile sometimes. I've seen you with others; it's only with me that you act so callously."

_Yeah, well, it's only with me that your smile disappears, that your eyes dart around for an escape, that you suddenly become withdrawn and quiet. _

"And your eyes! Do you know how unnerving they are?" she shivered next to him. "It's like you're seeing into me. They make my tongue tangle and my stomach knot."

_What?_

"I always end up doing or saying the wrong thing. Last week is a prime example, asking you about the teddy. What is wrong with me? You're so uptight, of course you were going to take offense."

_I am __**not **__uptight. _

"And sometimes," she continued on, "I don't even say anything wrong and you still manage to get all in a huff."

_That's because you're always so damn fake._

"Don't worry, you won't have to put up with me for much longer."

_That's right. Only three more weeks._

"Actually, this will be the last time."

Wufei's eyes snapped opened, he turned suspiciously toward her.

"Yeah, I figure that would get your attention. You're not exactly sunshine and roses but I just can picture the next weeks with you like this." Relena stood up and looked down on him. "Listen if you ever need anything… well… I owe you one…. so…" she shrugged uncertainly, gave one last forced smiled and walked away.

Wufei watched her until she disappeared out of view, not yet registering what had just happened. It was minutes later, many minutes later, in which his brain trudged slowly to process what Relena had said. That was it? He was free of her?

This he was not expecting. It was too sudden, too simple.

And he didn't know if he felt relief or… or… something else.

* * *

_It's my goal to finish this fic before the year is over… so expect the next chapter soon!!! Review and tell me what you think. _


	11. Chapter eleven

_Thanks so much for the reviews, they have been wonderful._

_Warning: Unbeta'd; read at your own risk._

Chapter 11

Duo, jovial as always, kept a lively conversation going, entertaining the crowd gathered around him. The bar, a common hang out for preventer officers, was packed to the maximum. Although, not a preventer, Duo sometimes volunteered his skills to the organization. He was well-liked and having been a Gundam Pilot, and assuredly the most approachable of the lot, it was guaranteed to cause a bit of a commotion whenever he showed up at HQ. Duo took it all in stride, basking in the adoration of the younger officers and the respect of the seasoned ones.

Across the bar, Wufei barely managed not to roll his eyes while Quatre smiled indulgently at the crowd. After years of dealing with each other, this particular scene was nothing new. Both Wufei and Quatre, and even Trowa and Zechs to an extent were familiar with Duo's antics. For some reason or another, Wufei always agreed to accompany the loud pilot when he was in town. Usually he did not stay for too long, a couple hours at best, not caring too much for the loud bars of Duo's preference. This time, however, he was glued to his seat. He was furious with himself, knowing full well the reason behind his reluctance to leave.

He hadn't seen her in almost three months. He was sure Relena was avoiding him. For years their attendance at political, social or charitable events had coincided occasionally. By now, they should have run into each other at least once. Wufei could easily have called her or even gone to her home, however, he was not willing to have her claim the victory of having him come to her. Three months was a long time, though, and he was at the end of his limit. Damn his stupid pride if he didn't see her tonight. He would need to seek her out. He wanted answers for questions he dare not form. The things she had said…the way she had said them, earnest but almost shyly… He was confused, didn't know what to make of her anymore.

He sounded like damn woman.

Whatever Relena had said, the fact remained that she had discarded him as easily as she would a pair of shoes she no longer wanted. Disgusted with himself and his foolish thoughts, he took a long drink from his beer, finishing it and signaling a waiter for another one. He glared at Quatre, who was looking at him oddly. Quatre wisely turned his gaze elsewhere.

"I'm sorry things did not work out between you and Relena," he said, watching Duo charm two rookie officers into a fit of giggles.

About to tell Quatre to mind his own damn business, he was cut off by the entrance of Noin. Wufei waited impatiently for Relena to materialize after Noin, afterall the two seemed joined at the hip, but no such thing occurred. Noin appeared to have come alone. Wufei kept watching the door after Noin had gone over to greet Duo, his heart racing, his stomach jittering. When it was clear Relena was a no-show, he cursed, stood up and stalked off, ignoring the waiter who had just arrived with his beer and not caring that he had left Quatre to foot the bill.

Just barely outside the bar, he saw her, walking toward him, head down, searching for something inside her purse. It seemed to take an eternity for Relena to lift her head and take notice of him. She quickly tensed up, her mouth, always smiling softly, was pressed into a thin line, her eyes were cautious. It was always like this when she encountered him, slightly less so during their 'arrangement', but her aversion to him was always discernible. Since the first time they gazed at each other from across Quatre's parlor.

But now he noticed her fidgety hands, her nervous stance and the fluttering pulse at her throat. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear self-consciously, avoiding his eyes. She didn't seem to know what to do with her hands, so she wrapped them both around the straps of her purse. Had she always been like this with him or was she simply just embarrassed at her recent actions with him? Wufei then saw her steel herself, giving him an overly bright smile.

She said, "Hi," with too much enthusiasm to be believed. Wufei scowled at her and Relena's smile wavered, her eyes darted to the safety of the bar.

He could hear music coming from inside the bar, the sound faint in the busy street, but it was enough to bring to surface a particularly humiliating memory. "I asked you to dance once," he said without preamble, his voice soft but accusing. He hated that he sounded hurt. He wasn't; it was years ago. "You declined."

"You've never…" she started, then she smiled warmly at the forgotten memory. "At Quatre's. I remember now. It was when we met. Your hair was down, long, almost past your shoulders, and you had your preventer's uniform on. Forgive me, Wufei, for refusing you a dance. It was just that you were so… so… I was afraid-"

"I've never given you reason to fear me," he snapped at her.

"No, I was not afraid of you, not in the way you think. I was afraid I'd step on your toes, or bump my head on your chin, or have food stuck between my teeth or other such silly things that seem catastrophic to teenage girls." She gave a small laugh. "I said no because I was afraid I'd make a fool of myself in front you." Her eyes darted toward the bar again; she was now clutching her purse in a white knuckle grasp.

"Only with me?" He remembered her dancing with a multitude of partners that night.

"Yes."

"Why?" Again, she turned from his searching eyes. What had she said about his eyes? _It's like you're seeing into me. They make my tongue tangle and my stomach knot_. "Why?" he asked once more, taking advantage of her discomfort.

"Well, as I've said before you're very intimidating…" she gasped when Wufei took one of her hands away from her purse, started massaging the fingers, softly rubbing against her palm, soothing away the numbness.

Wufei felt her shivering, saw the gooseflesh appear on her skin. Did he really have this affect on her?

"It's very chilly," she said by way of explanation. She took her hand back, muttered a quick goodbye and walked away from him. Wufei was left wondering whether he was going insane or had been simply blind and stupid regarding Relena Peacecraft.

* * *

Noin knew she had no right to be angry, or jealous or sad, or anything of the like by watching Quatre dancing with the pretty young woman that had so saucily asked him to dance. But she felt it. A deep tugging in her heart that could be heartbreak or anger, probably a mixture of both. She didn't think by any means that she was in love with Quatre. Rather, the pain came from the feeling that she had let something that could have been wonderful escape from her grasp.

Zechs, of course, had left months before.

But there were was no use dwelling on that. He had come to look after his sister and had left after making sure she was perfectly fine. It was hard not to resent Relena sometimes and she knew it was pathetic of her to do so. Relena had her own problems dealing with Zechs and it was unfair to drag her into her angered and muddled feelings toward him. She and Relena had been through so much together, were as close as sisters. She once had been foolish enough to believe that Zechs would indeed make them sisters.

A burst of laughter snapped her thoughts back to Quatre. He was smiling down at the woman, his soulful eyes full of mirth at something she had said. He was handsome, very much so. Noin wondered how she could have missed the change from boy to man. In her mind, she supposed she had seen him as the pretty fifteen year old with the kindhearted eyes. He was man now, attractive as hell and with enough boyish charm to make even the bitterest woman sigh.

Although just as good-looking as Quatre, maybe even more so, Zechs had none of the charisma of the younger man. Zechs was beautiful in a cold and often brooding manner that made Noin want to erase all the hurt from his troubled eyes, where as Quatre radiated warmth and…

There was no use comparing the two. Zechs had been the standard by which she had measured all potential lovers. No more. She still felt guilty for blowing up on him as she had. But it also gave her wicked pleasure to have seen him hurt, for him to wonder what he had done wrong.

"What?" Noin asked, feeling Relena's gaze on her, knowing she had been caught staring at Quatre.

"I didn't say a word," Relena said, a teasing smile on her lips.

"She has got to be at least 10 years younger than him."

"Yes as opposed to him being only five years younger than you."

"Four," Noin corrected stiffly.

Relena laughed. "Go for it. Ask him to dance and forget about my idiot brother. Give it a shot."

"It's easy for you to say."

Relena's eyes turned somber and she looked so much like her brother that Noin had to look away. "No. It's not. I know what it's like to hold onto someone so tightly that the mere thought of letting them go pains you."

Noin nodded, acknowledging the truth of her words, feeling embarrassed at her waspish response. If anyone understood how she was feeling it was Relena. "I know it's stupid but I feel guilty."

"For what?"

"Sleeping with Quatre…wanting to do it again."

Relena grinned. "You remember?"

"Bits, flashes mostly." Noin fanned herself with a napkin, fighting the rising heat of her cheeks. "Didn't you feel guilty? After Heero, I mean, the first time you were with someone else?"

Relena shrugged. "It was more than a year after the divorce… I guess I had closure. It was the limbo that was killing me, not being able to move forward and not moving backward either."

Another song started, and the woman seemed unwilling to let go of Quatre. Not that Quatre was putting up much of a fight.

Noin didn't want to be stuck anymore.

She stood up and moved forward.

* * *

"Why so lonely, my princess?" Duo bunked down next to her, his arm around her shoulders. "Huh, Quatre and Noin who would have thought it?" he said, following the direction of her gaze.

"It's strange isn't how life works out? I always thought Noin would end up with Milliardo, you with Hildi…"

"You and Heero," Duo finished for her. "And now you're with Wufei."

"Um. No."

"What'd ya mean no? You looked damn cozy outside the bar. Good thing the story is old news, cuz let me tell you that would have been a doozy picture to snap. Imagine my surprise, walking outside to light a cigarette and bam! Chang Wufei, holding your hand like a young pup in love. It makes me sigh just to think about it. Next time I see him I've going to razz him good," he rubbed his hands in anticipation. "I always thought he had a thing for you-"

"Were not together," Relena interrupted him before he could form any more assumptions. Then she backtracked, "Wait, what did you say?"

"That I always suspected he had a thing for you."

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. The way he looked at you sometimes, I guess. Not in a perverted way or anything. Just sort of intense in that way of his, but curious and interested and… I don't know," he rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I caught you looking at him as well, then you turned away guiltily as if you had just indulge in a forbidden pleasure."

"Duo, you make it sound so…"

"Poetic? Romantic?"

"Sordid. I never…I mean…" _Had_ _she?_ She thought back to the times she had been in his company, from the first time they had met. Sure, she had noticed him, looked at him, but certainly not in the way Duo was describing. Relena had always found him fascinating, even with his perpetual scowling and brutal honestly, it was normal for her to be curious about such an enigmatic man even if his personality was so off putting. She remembered locking eyes with him throughout the years, feeling her jittery nerves jump when he looked at her, her breath hitching… He always made her feel so unlike herself. "Did anyone else notice?"

"Nah, it was all very subtle. People don't give me enough credit about how perceptive I am, you know."

Maybe Wufei had known. Oh, how humiliating if he had. "Did he notice?"

"Wufei was clueless, he always got a giant stick up his butt around you, a bigger one than usual. So, who made the first move? I bet you did."

She sure had.

* * *

Noin stared contently out of the window as Quatre drove through the city to her home. His hand was on her knee, drawing comforting circles on her skin, warming her up just by that simple touch. After she had pried away that woman from his person, she had whispered a hopeful, 'I'm sober,' trying to make a joke out of it. Noin had waited for what seem like ages until she felt his arms wrap around her. They had danced the whole night. They had kissed, necked like teenagers actually, and it had been delicious, exhilarating, freeing… "Take me home," she had whispered to him, when the memories of making love to him were the strongest, when she was pressed up against him, knowing she had his body naked atop hers…

"Come in," she said, when he stopped at her house.

He kissed her deeply. "No." But he kissed her again, a long drugging kiss, that left both breathing harshly. "I want to do it right this time."

"You did it right last time," Noin teased.

"I took advantage of you."

"I came on to you. I was only tipsy."

"You were more than tipsy and I should have seen that, should have realized-"

"I knew what I was doing."

"Noin, please, let's not kid ourselves. We both know that if weren't for the alcohol, not matter how you try to down play it, that night wouldn't have happened."

"I don't regret it." _Not anymore_.

"I do. I almost blew it with you." He nipped her bottom lip. "And I don't want to be the rebound guy, either."

"You're not. I still want you to come in, though."

He got out of the car with a grin o his face and walked over to her side, opened the door and helped her out. She thought she had won, that he had given in, but at her door, he only gave her a chaste kiss and a playful smack on her bum to get her inside.

"Goodnight," he said, still outside, and closed the door.

Noin went to bed alone but happier than she had been for a long time.

* * *

_Sigh It seems I won't be meeting my goal to finish this up before the new year… Next fic to be update is Plain Jane Hermione Granger… stick around though, only a few chapters to go for this one._

_Don't forget to review_!


	12. Chapter Twelve

Relena took a deep breath, enjoying the quiet of the night as she made her way to her parked car, more than a half a block away. Noin had deserted her for Quatre a while back. Not that she minded as she was glad her friend was moving on. It was her brother's loss, and Relena sincerely hoped that Milliardo would not come to regret his behavior toward Noin. Oh, she knew her brother cared deeply for Noin, albeit not the way she desired, but she also knew that her brother was not all dense and knew perfectly well the nature of Noin's feelings for him. The fact that her brother took for granted Noin's presence in his life was something that had always irked Relena to no end. Quatre was a sweet, mild tempered man and a true gentleman who would no doubt treat Noin with the outmost respect and caring she deserved. If Quatre had possessed any male siblings, Relena would have been tempted to ask for an introduction.

Deep intense eyes flashed through her mind, but she pushed the image forcefully away, willing herself no to think of him. It was over. Done. It was quite a difficult task, however, because the more she didn't want to think about him, the more she did.

She missed him.

It was such a ridiculous feeling to be missing him, not to mention illogical. Wufei was bad-tempered and often hostile, and yet she couldn't stop the emotion from rising unexpectedly at the most inopportune of times. Like now. It had been a shock to see him as she had come deliberately late to the gathering, knowing Wufei was not one to spend his time in a bar. She knew she had taken the coward's way out, as she had done the previous months, but better a coward than to fall into old habits. More than once since she had ended her agreement Relena had been tempted to chase after him, either by arranging an 'accidental' encounter or scheming a plan for him to come to her. Thankfully her good sense had prevailed and she had remained as far away from him as possible. She was finished with chasing men who didn't want her. She had learned that particular lesson well.

Wufei had acted rather unlike himself tonight and a part of Relena, the silly romantic part, couldn't help but sigh at recalling the way in which he'd taken her hand. It mattered little, as Relena had also learned not to place undue meaning onto simple gestures. She was not that same girl who had seen a declaration of love in a stuffed teddy bear. Stupid, how stupid she'd been, seeing love in Heero's eyes, hearing longing in his voice, feeling passion in his touch. But that too, was over, and there was no point in dwelling upon it.

Wufei had probably indulged a little too much on the liquor. As unlikely as that was, it was a hell of a lot more probable than him developing some sort of affection toward her. Duo's words had given her hope, until she realized that if Wufei had indeed had a 'thing' for, it was long gone now. She had always acted like a ninny in his presence, but the nail that had sealed that coffin was most assuredly the manner in which she had manipulated him into helping her.

What she wouldn't she do to go back to that night at Quatre's party all those years ago, to have the courage to take Wufei's hand and dance with him. Perhaps they… no but there was no point to it, it was silly to even think about such things. Wufei had been wearing a uniform tonight, just like the first time she had seen him. What was it, Relena wondered, about a man in a uniform that made a woman's mouth water? In this case it probably had more to do with the man than the uniform; as he caused this particular reaction in her with increasing regularity no matter what he was wearing.

A street light illuminated her car, the motorcycle in front of it, and the man sitting down on the curb. It was Wufei, watching her approach with shaded eyes. Relena's breath caught, and she could hear her heart beating wildly, but she swallowed hard and continued walking as nonchalantly as she could.

"Hello," she said when she reached him.

Wufei nodded.

Relena's brain was working a mile a second, wondering what he wanted, if he had waited all this time, and what it could mean. Hope, unwanted, started flourishing. Relena squashed it down least she be disappointed. "There's a café near here, would you like-"

Wufei nodded again and stood up. He knew were the café was located, preferring the quiet atmosphere of the establishment instead of the boisterous bar his colleagues liked to frequent.

They said nothing as they walked, the only sound breaking the silence was Relena's heels clicking softly on the pavement. He had intended to go home, but he'd driven by her car and all manner of thoughts had assaulted him. Her reason for refusing to dance with him was that she had been intimidated by him. Well, he had been in absolute terror when he'd asked her to dance. His palms had been sweating, his heart thumping furiously, and his damn voice had actually cracked from nervousness. Absurd that a mere girl had caused such a reaction in him. Had she any idea how much damage she had done to his pride that evening?

And there it was, the underlying cause of his animosity for Relena. How juvenile. Everything had been tainted after that, everything she had said or done had been taken as offense, her smiles labeled fake, her politeness as hypocrisy. Wufei glanced at her from the corner of his eye, noting the stern set of her shoulders, the nervous expression on her face which she was desperately trying to hide. How obtuse he'd been for never reading her mannerisms correctly. Well, he had never been adept at dealing with women, he thought wryly. Not many could see pass his scowl, deadly bluntness, and quick temper.

He couldn't remember what else was said between them that weekend of Quatre's party, but he remembered her yellow dress, her long tanned legs, the way she hardly ever laughed but smiled often. He also remembered Yuy constantly standing by her side like a loyal guard dog. It had been clear to whom Relena's affection belonged to, disgustingly so. He must have stared at her, glowered at her, bluntly questioned her; his manner had never been one of gentility and no doubt he had indeed intimidated her. While he normally didn't care if people found him agreeable or not, the fact that Relena had not had been a thorn on his side for years. What a fool he had been. Still was.

Inside the café, they took a booth on the far corner, wanting to ensure privacy. A young man took their orders, tea for Wufei, and hot cocoa for Relena, and if he recognized either of them he didn't show it. Jazz was playing softly, inviting the patrons to relax and enjoy the ambience, Relena could do no such thing, too aware of Wufei's piercing eyes examining her as if she were a bug under a microscope.

"I'm a difficult man."

Relena blinked. That she had had not been expecting. "Really?" She fluttered her lashes in puzzlement. "I haven't noticed."

Wufei's response was halted by the arrival of the waiter with their drinks. His lips had twitched, Relena thought, some of the tension flowing out of her body at that telltale sign of his amusement. Surprising how well she had learned to discern some aspects of his personality.

"I'm not a romatic-"

"Nooo," Relena interrupted with exaggerated disbelief.

Wufei leaned back into the booth and crossed his arms, an expression of mild amusement and exasperation on his face.

"My character is not altogether pleasing either-"

"Clearly."

"- Hey, I'm only trying to save time here, because if this is going where I think," she cleared her throat nervously. "Where I _hope_ it's going, then let me assure you that I can deal with your difficult unromantic personality if you can handle my frequent bouts of insanity and obsessiveness."

"Not to mention your manipulative manner."

"Right," Relena said weakly.

Relena wasn't what he had thought, what he had labeled her; shallow, petty, vindictive, etc. Neither was she the perfect lady people believed her to be. It matter not, he wanted the woman, flaws and all, and not the image. "I can handle it."

A soft smiled bloomed on Relena's face. It was surreal that this was happening, less than a hour ago she had been sure Wufei would never be interested in a relationship with her. He looked less than thrilled about it, but Relena knew that Wufei was the serious type who would hardly show being thrilled about _anything_. Relena was under no delusions regarding Wufei's character and she didn't intend to change him. They had seen the worst parts of each other because of her silly arrangement, she was looking forward not only to seeing Wufei's better qualities but also displaying her own.

She reached across the table and took his hand, interlocking their fingers. He had beautiful hands, long fingered, callused and strong. They argued about holding hands when they had pretended to be together. Relena had been furious at Wufei for being so unwilling to compromise on such an insignificant matter. Now, however, the simple act of holding hands became ever more meaningful. She looked up from the sight of their joined hands to his face. His eyes seemed even darker and deeper. He pulled her closer so they were sitting next to each other rather than across. Relena shivered, wondering if he was going to kiss her. Instead of kissing her, he released her hand and ran his own along her arm. She shivered again.

"You make me feel like a teenager again," she told him with a small laugh. "Clumsy and self-conscious..."

"Since when?"

"Always. Of course, before I use to attribute it to my great dislike for you."

He smiled at her words, watching the gooseflesh rise on her arm as he gently rubbed the inside of her elbow with his thumb. "Have you never wondered what I was doing outside in the garden that night when they took the picture of us? Assumed that like you I had gone out for a bit of fresh air, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did. I thought it an unfortunate coincidence."

He chuckled in a self-deprecating manner. "It wasn't. An hour or so before an event ends, you always escape outside. I knew you would be there," he confessed.

It hadn't been the first time either, Relena surmised. Throughout the years, for some reason or another they had found themselves alone. Such encounters had never been pleasant, and had usually ended with one or both feeling slighted by the other. She had dreaded meeting with him, hating the fact he threw her so off-balance and knowing that he would take whatever she said or did the wrong way. Relena never would have guessed he had purposely sought her out.

"I was going to mail you a check reimbursing your expenses. No no," she said, smoothing the scowl that formed on his brow with her index finger. "I was only going to do it because I knew you'd be furious. Maybe furious enough to come to my house. I had no desire to have you yelling at me, but I did wish to see you, which was why I had to form a new plan. I was going to visit Noin and accidentally run into you."

"Noin and I work in different floors."

"Exactly. I had to devise a new plan again."

He laughed softly, his face becoming less austere. "How many more schemes did you thought up?"

"A lot," she said blushing, but smiling at him.

Although he was glad she hadn't carried out her schemes, undoubtedly he would have reacted badly to them, he was nonetheless flattered. Wufei was also pleased she hadn't played coy. He'd intended only to try mend things between them tonight; however, her surprising straight forwardness had expedited his true intentions. One might say that they were finally on the same page. He took his wallet out and placed several bills on the table, shooting Relena a meaningful glance which in turn had her rolling her eyes.

The trip back to her car was as silent as when they had been going to the café, but his time the silence was soothing and comfortable, her hand was safely ensconced in Wufei's and her heels played a definite jaunty rhythm on the pavement. But all too soon, much to Relena's disappointment, they reached her car.

They stopped in front of her car, Relena was smiling while Wufei looked slightly less stern than usual. Relena was all jitters and nerves, but strangely enough she no longer felt awkward with Wufei. She felt… giddy, yes, that was it, giddy.

"Goodnight, Relena."

"Night," she said expectantly, waiting for him to kiss her. Her smile promptly fell away when he only turned around to his motorbike. "Hey," she exclaimed, taking his hand and pulling him back to face her again.

Wufei raised a questioning eyebrow.

Such a trademark Wufei expression made her smile, making her feel even lighter than before, without thinking she acted. She leaned forward and brushed her lips to his. Wufei reacted favorably, that is to say he did not pull away. She wanted him to kiss her back, to taste the cinnamon tea he'd drunk earlier. However, Relena settled only for another miniscule peck on the lips, not wanting to break whatever they had constructed tonight.

"Do you ever," Wufei started, "let the man make the first move?" he whispered against her lips.

"Sometimes, but never when the man is tortuously slow in making the first move."

"Tortuously slow?" He smirked. "You do have a flair for the dramatic."

"I assure you, I am not exaggerating."

"Well," he said, ghosting his lips across her jaw, "there is something to be said" his lips traveled down to her neck, his breath prickling and tickling her skin, "about taking one's time." Then he skimmed his lips along the nape of her neck and made his way to her mouth with an agonizing slow speed. His kiss was luxuriously unhurried, leisurely intense, unlike anything Relena had expected from such an uptight man. "Don't you agree?" he said, once he had broken away.

Relena nodded mutely and Wufei smirked, looking quite pleased with himself. It was heady, the knowledge that this woman, this powerful beautiful woman wanted him, that she trembled when he touched her, that she responded so eagerly to him… that she could cause the same affect on him.

* * *

"And the he kissed me…"

Noin had to laugh at Relena's silly expression. She looked like a young girl on her first crush. In truth, she probably wore the same expression as Relena. The previous night had been quite eventful for the two of them. Quatre had already called her, wanting to know if she was free next weekend.

"It was… just… perfect." Relena said, the silly smile still on her face as she threw a ball for Tulip to fetch.

"I know what you mean," Noin said, matching Relena's silly smile. Who would have ever thought that she, Lucretzia Noin, would be having girl talks? But here she was, having spent the past hour sharing details about what had occurred between Quatre and her and hearing about Relena and Wufei while sitting on the grass in Relena's backyard. It was actually quite nice. She hated to ruin the relaxed mood and bring up Milliardo but… "When are you going to tell your brother?"

Relena wrinkled her nose, a move that Noin had seen plenty of times on Millardo's face. Tulip came bounding to her to give her the ball and Relena promptly threw it for him again.

"You have to tell him before he finds out by other means."

"I know."

Noin was right, of course, but that was a conversation she did not look forward to. Just several months before she had told her brother about her 'break up' with Wufei and now she was supposed to tell him they were back together… Yeah that would fly so well with her overprotective brother. Milliardo hadn't look at all surprised about her breakup, probably used to her romantic failings by now, but no doubt would be shocked to know that she and Wufei had reconciled. Maybe she could call him tomorrow…

"The sooner the better," Noin said, giving her a knowing look.

Relena sighed and went inside her home and called his cell phone, hoping he wouldn't pick up.

"Good morning, Relena," he said, looking as elegant as always.

"Morning."

"Is something the matter?"

"Well, I wanted to let you know that Wufei and I have decided to give it another go," she said, cringing internally at the fib. Technically it wasn't a lie. "I didn't want you to see it on the papers or the news like last time."

"I see," he said slowly, his gaze penetrating. "Have you thought this thoroughly?"

"Yes," she responded tightly. She hated it when he treated her like a child.

"Relena… I don't wish to see you hurt. Wufei may not want the same things as you."

She understood his meaning clearly: _You're going to get hurt because you're chasing after him as you did Heero. And didn't I tell you then? Didn't I tell you Heero would never return your feelings?_

"I appreciate your concern," she said tightly. "However, you don't need to feel obliged to look after me, I can handle myself."

She hung up before he could respond, her giddiness from the night before considerably diminished.

* * *

Please review. :D

Next Chappie: Heero!

I'll try my best to update in about a month... but no promises. Thanks for the wonderful reveiws.


	13. Chapter 13

I needed to finish this fic. I hope it s not too rushed. Thank you to all the people who left me encouraging words. I do apologize for neglecting this fic for so long.

* * *

"I need to talk to you. Please."

The message was short and to the point. The usual for Zechs. It took her a second before deciding to call him back. He sounded miserable and… he sounded miserable. He needed her. She wasn't mad at him anymore, she should never have been. She had moved on, yes it still hurt, but not nearly as much as pinning for him. She was probably his only friend, the only one he could rely on.

He answered on the first ring. "Can you please explain to me, what I did wrong?" His frustration and misery were palpable.

Noin sighed audibly. "Nothing. You're you.. Relena overreacted, I've told her that much already."

"I'm only trying to look out for her. I don't' understand d her reaction-"

"Relena is a grown woman;" Noin interrupted, "and you can be overbearing sometimes."

"I don't mean to be. I do my outmost to let her live her life. I worry about her, an d I don't know to…"

"I know., Zechs, I know. But Relena doesn't need you to hover around her, waiting for her to slip. She wants you. She wants her brother."

"That' silly. She hardly knows me. She doesn't even remember me."

Noin rolled her eyes at his stubbornness. How many times had she told him that Relena loved him, that she looked forward to his visits, that she wanted to spend time with him. "Relena thinks the only reason you care for her is because she's a Peacecraft... That's she's a duty."

There was silence on the other side.

"She's resentful. She's tried getting closer to you many times, and you've rebuffed her at every turn."

"So, how do I…. Tell me what to do."

Noin smiled. Relena and Zechs were truly something else. They needed to have a good sit down to talk. "Figure it out. It's really obvious what you should do. That you 're afraid of it is another matter."

A sleepy Quatra came into her kitchen and gave her kiss on the check. "I've got to go. We'll talk later ok?"

"Thanks Noin.."

"Who were you talking to at his ungodly hour?" Quatra asked as he served himself a cup of coffee.

"Zechs."

He eyes flew to hers, questioning.

Noin smiled, rose to kiss him. "He had a spat with Relana." She kissed him again, and the conversation was forgotten.

* * *

Relena woke to the scent of coffee.

She knew in an instant who the brewer was. Nervous, she wrapped a robe around her and made her way downstairs. Every step made her more nervous, more enraged, more everything. "I've told you many times to visit like a normal person."

He was sitting on her favorite loveseat, drinking a cup of coffee and paging through a magazine. Tulip, her great big guard dog, lay at his feet snoozing comfortably.

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not a normal person?" His cobalt blue eyes showed no humor, no embarrassment.

"You can't just barge into my house like this. Into my life. How can I make you understand?" She sounded a little shrill she knew, she didn't care.

Heero smirked. "You can't. I apologize for upsetting you. It was not my intention."

"What is your intention?" She sat down across from him. Still flustered, still feeling like her privacy had been violated.

"Only say hi to my ex-wife. See how she's doing," he shrugged nonchalantly, or tried to, but the gesture looked mechanical.

"I'm very happy."

"With Wufei."

"Yes." Not a week had passed since they had reconciled. They had gone out on their first official first date. It had been amazing, and until that morning she had still been floating on cloud nine. The only downside was that once the news that they were together again spread the press had soon regained interest in their relationship. Heero was a slight bump in her peace of mind, she told herself, he wasn't going to ruin everything.

"Wufei…Not the most likely choice for you."

"Neither were you."

"True," he paused. "What makes you think you and him will workout when you and I didn't?"

She didn't have to explain herself to him. They had been together for years, been married for nine months, perhaps that entitled him to some answers. For what ever reason she answered his question. "You were a dream to me. Perfect, infallible… I loved my dream, I loved what I thought you were. You, on the other hand, needed affection. We fed off each other like that for a while, until reality crashed down around us. It's not like that with Wufei. He's real."

Heero nodded slightly. "You're brother is in town too."

Great .

* * *

Her doorbell rang at exactly 9:30 am. She steeled herself, knowing exactly who it was, and why he was paying her a visit. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Milliardo looked travel weary, rumpled, his suitcases at his feet. That was strange. Usually, he settled in and rested before coming to see her. She looked up at questioningly. He smiled a bit nervously, which was stranger still. Her brother was never nervous, never rumpled, never less than perfectly confident.

"Come in, Please."

They stood awkwardly for a moment. The silence, the tension seeping in like always.

"I'm not here for what you think," Milliardo started, unwilling to succumb, like always, to his insecurities. "The reason I'm here is because I decided to transfer. I was hoping you'd let me stay here until I find a place of my own."

Relena swallowed hard. "Here? You're transferring here?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

In this he could have lied. It was on the tip of his tongue, to say something else. Something that wouldn't leave him so exposed. "I decided to move here because I want to get to know you."

Some of the anger and frustration seeped out her. She smiled at him, her eyes watering , and went to him. She wrapped her arms around him. Sighed, when he returned the embrace. "You can stay here as long as you want. Stay forever."

They stayed like that for a while, in the parlor, just hugging.

* * *

"I saw your brother at HQ today," He said, refilling her glass of wine.

"Hmm," Relena replied distractedly. She was still taking in his house. The dinner invitation had been a surprise, especially because it was at his house. She felt strangely elated because of it; to be let into Wufei's house, into his life. "He's transferring."

It was Spartan, she would have expected no less, but quite comfortable. The walls were lined with books, all of them with exotic characters, presumably Chinese. The kitchen was nice a big, and inside they had taken their dinner. Wufei had cooked, not permitting Relana to move a finger. It had been delicious, although if asked, she would be at a loss of what she had just eaten. The truth was, she couldn't believe how well things had turned out.

She was still in awe of Wufei's kisses, of his manner toward her. And for the life of her, she couldn't stop staring at him. If he were food she'd be salivating over the sight of him.

"Is Heero transferring as well?"

Relana almost chocked on the wine. "Not to my knowledge."

"But you did know that he was here?"

"Yes. He came to visit me," she admitted.

His eyes bore into hers. He sipped from his own glass, and gazed at her steadily, as if trying to read her mind.

Relena stood her ground, unwilling to let his gaze unnerved her. She had done nothing wrong.

"Should I be worried?" He asked softly, his eyes still locked with hers. That did it, that small insignificant slip of vulnerability did it.

"No. You don't have to worry about anything."

She went to him, sat in his lap, took his stoic face in her hands and kissed him.

"Still not convinced," he said one they kiss broke.

Relana laughed and dug in again with much gusto. He was absolutely delicious, and he was all hers. Hers to embrace lick and kiss. His arms came around her like bands, securing her to him, making her squirm, she smiled, delighting in his wicked smirk.

She was in love with him. Very much so. But the proclamations would come later. This relationship was precious, she had to tread carefully, slowly. For now, it was enough that he held he like this, kiss her so gently, ran his hands through her body with barely contained urgency.

"I love you," she whispered against his ear.

_OOPS_

The self-satisfied smile on his face quickly dissolved her fear, but not as much the deep kiss he gave her, or the most wonderful lovemaking she had ever experienced. Right there. On the kitchen table.

The End


End file.
